Hi all,

The Alaska campaign to implement instant runoff voting is the final stretch.
We can't afford a poll, but our phone banking, voter outreach and
endorsements suggest cautious optimism. But isn't that what all political
people say the few days before the election?

The vote is this Tuesday, the 27th of August. See
www.AlaskansForVotersRights.com for details.

Here's a constitutional question from Sam Smith, editor of the Progressive
Review (www.prorev.com). I'd appreciate any thoughts on the topic.

HELP THE EDITOR

IS IT POSSIBLE to run for vice president without being on the ticket with a
president? The question is far from academic since, if possible, it would
create a new option for third parties such as the Greens. Here's what the
12th Amendment has to say:

"The Electors . . . shall name in their ballots the person voted for as
President and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President,
and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President,
and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes
for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to
the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President
of the Senate . . . The person having the greatest number of votes as
Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of
the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority,
then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the
Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the
whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be
necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the
office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the
United States."

The only reason for counting the votes separately would be if the two top
tickets were possibly not synchronized, as was the case early in the
republic.

We can find no illumination on this matter and would welcome any advice on
these questions:

- Are state laws requiring that the president and vice president be elected
simultaneously constitutional?

- If constitutional, are they necessary - i.e. could a state have separate
lines for president and vice president?

It's interesting to think of what might happen if a Green candidate such as
Ralph Nader could run independently for Veep.

Thanks,
Dan
Dan Johnson-Weinberger
National Field Director
Center for Voting and Democracy
www.fairvote.org
djw@fairvote.org
312.587.7060 (office)
312.933.4890 (mobile)
Electing a legislature?
     Use proportional voting in three-member districts so all voters have a
voice
Electing an executive like governor, mayor or president?
     Use instant runoff voting so the winner has a majority mandate and no
vote is wasted
"Those who are saying it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are
doing it." Chinese proverb