The Massachusetts Coalition of Independent Voters (COIV) has joined www.massballotfreedom.com to
give voters more choices at the ballot box. This coalition of community groups, labor unions, and independent voters has launched a campaign to win
fusion and increase the power of Massachusetts voters!
Please take a moment and sign the Mass fusion petition. It changes state law to allow a candidate's name to be listed on the ballot on more than
one party line. For example, a candidate could run as a Democratic or Republican, in addition to running on an independent or minor party line. This is
called cross-endorsement, or fusion.
With fusion, a candidate's votes are tallied separately on each party line, and then added together. That way, the candidate - and the voters - know exactly
how much support she/he received on each line.
Fusion gives independents the ability to send a powerful message, that we want candidates to govern free of Democratic and Republican Party influences. Your
vote on an independent line will make a difference!
New York is one of the few states that allows fusion and it's a great example of the power Massachusetts independents can gain. The Independence Party
of New York has used fusion to build itself into the third largest party in the state with over 320,000 members. It has cross-endorsed both Democrats and
Republicans who support its reform agenda, and its ballot line is widely sought.
In 2001, the Independence Party endorsed Michael Bloomberg for Mayor.* Below are the vote totals. As you can see, independents were the decisive factor.
| Republican Party |
Michael Bloomberg |
685,666 |
| Democratic Party |
Mark Green |
709,268 |
| Independence Party |
Michael Bloomberg |
59,091 |
*The Independence Party has endorsed Mayor Bloomberg in his second run for Mayor; election day is November 8, 2005, and IP is running a strong "Bloomberg
on C" - that's Column C in the voting booth - campaign.
Support the power of fusion!
Sign the petition. Print out several petitions and ask your friends, co-workers and family members to both sign and collect signatures.
INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions on how to fill out the petition:
1. Print the petition on ONE page. Print out the first page and then print the second page on the back of the first page.
2. Make sure to sign your name legibly.
3. Do not fill in the ward or precinct.
4. All signers on a given sheet must live in the same town. Make sure to use separate petitions for each town or city.
5. Make sure to fill in your town or city at the bottom of the first page and top of the second page.
6. Do not put stray marks on the sheet. It will invalidate all the petition signatures.
7. Use a ballpoint pen to sign.
8. Mail petitions to:
Massachusetts Coalition of Independent Voters
c/o Sarah Bayer
39 Prince St. #1
Cambridge, MA 02139
Print Petition
and Sign It(pdf) to allow Fusion Voting. Call people in your area and ask them to sign the Petition.
Make a donation to the
campaign. Your dollars will support phone banking to independents throughout the state.
Write a letter to the editor.
Tell them why Fusion Voting is good for independents and good for democracy.
For more information or to get involved with COIV-MA, call Sarah Bayer at 1-617-894-0420, or send email
to: sarahbayer@aol.com.
Copyright © CUIP 2005-2006. All Rights Reserved.
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