Local group rallies behind Nader

While some people see John Kerry and George W. Bush as two equating variables in the election equation, some Bloomington residents think independent Ralph Nader could provide a change in the order of operations. The state and local campaign coordinators met Sunday evening to discuss strategies to not only get Nader elected, but first, to get him on the ballot in Indiana.\nBallot access is restricted to include only the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. If a candidate wishes for his or her name to appear on the ballot independent of any party label, he or she must petition registered voters. In the state of Indiana, a potential candidate needs the signatures of 29,552 people, or 2 percent of registered voters. Laws concerning ballot access have become increasingly confining. Since the 1980s, the number of required signatures has quadrupled, and the option to write in candidates has become difficult.\nDallas Stoner, the state coordinator for the Nader campaign, said group's first priority will be not only to gather signatures at high profile events, but also to simultaneously register people to vote. In 2000, Nader did not appear on the ballot in Indiana because many of the signatures were invalid because the people who signed did not use current voting registration information. Stoner hopes to combat this by offering registration forms when asking for signatures.\nStoner has already acquired the commitment of signatures and the support of over 1,500 union members and plant workers in Kokomo. \n"Nader winning the election is not the the reason to support his campaign," said Jeff Melton, a coordinator at the local level. "His appearance on the ballot is a way to say no to corporate agendas and advocate the understanding of a third party."\nIn the last 84 years, Indiana has cast its electoral vote for the Democratic candidate only three times. In 2000, of Nader's votes, 25 percent were cast by registered Republicans. \n"Nader is the truest candidate I've seen in 40 years," said Bloomington resident Jane East. "The Democrats and the Republicans are bought by the same lobbyists. It's important to challenge them with someone like Nader who has already done so much."\n"A small group of dedicated individuals with the drive to get this underway has the potential to show the country that we're adamant about social change," Stoner said.\n-- Contact staff writer Allison Ricket at aricket@indiana.edu.