[Lnc-business] LNC Ballot Access Action Report

[Wes Benedict]

I think in some states you can get a definitive answer as to whether or 
not a signature is valid, like Virgina? However, I think in many, it's a 
case where internal validators (the Libertarian petition organizers) are 
making educated guesses as to whether or not a signature is valid before 
it is submitted to the state.

In Texas in 2004, we collected over 80,000 signatures. I don't think we 
were ever told which ones were valid. Perhaps the info was available, 
but not until two or three months after the drive was over. In the 
intermediate time, one person in Houston had a group inspecting them. 
They were marking many of them invalid that I thought were probably 
valid. I had lots of arguments with the Houston people, and finally won. 
I didn't want them crossing off signatures that might be considered good 
by the state of Texas. And this had nothing to do with paying anyone 
commissions.

There is significant value to dealing with petitioners who have a 
reputation of getting the job done with decent validity.

I favor keeping the contracts simple, and would prefer a more expensive 
$2.50 flat rate with reliable petitioners, than a complicated process 
with cheaper per sig but much higher overhead.

Wes Benedict, Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee, Inc.
*New address: 1444 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314*
(202) 333-0008 ext. 232, wes.benedict at lp.org
facebook.com/libertarians @LPNational
Join the Libertarian Party at: http://lp.org/membership

On 12/9/2014 12:44 PM, Joshua Katz wrote:
> What about something like $1.00 per raw sig plus $2.00 per valid sig?
>
> Joshua A. Katz
> Westbrook CT Planning Commission (L in R seat)
>
> On Tue, Dec 9, 2014 at 12:44 PM, Wes Benedict <wes.benedict at lp.org 
> <mailto:wes.benedict at lp.org>> wrote:
>
>     Here's a proposal to save money on ballot access.
>
>     Instead of spending $2.50 per signature for most states most of
>     the time, look for opportunities to spend less where the risk is
>     low and time to experiment exits. You offer it at $2.00, and see
>     if any reputable petitioners come forward. Then get the drive done
>     for $2/sig if they come forward. If not, up the price. I wouldn't
>     mess around with low-ball offers like 50 cents, etc. You'll get
>     lots of takers that won't actually get anything done.
>
>     By the way, I've also suggested the opposite direction, when the
>     risk is high, and time is short. Instead of spending $2/signature,
>     I've suggested spending $2.50 (so you don't end up with
>     emergencies paying for flights, hotels, etc.)
>
>     Even if my suggestion is rejected, overall, I think we're getting
>     great deal on petitioning at $2.50.
>
>     Recently, at the insistence of the Audit Committee and our former
>     Chair Geoff Neale, we instituted written contracts. Those have
>     worked incredibly well in my opinion. They have eliminated most of
>     the fights about whether nor not someone promised someone to cover
>     some hotel or gas or rental car or not and the receipt is lost and
>     on and on.
>
>     $2.50 per sig. No expenses. No hassles. It's a great deal. $2/sig
>     is a little better (when it works).
>
>
>     Wes Benedict, Executive Director
>     Libertarian National Committee, Inc.
>     *New address: 1444 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314*
>     (202) 333-0008 ext. 232 <tel:%28202%29%20333-0008%20ext.%20232>,
>     wes.benedict at lp.org <mailto:wes.benedict at lp.org>
>     facebook.com/libertarians <http://facebook.com/libertarians>
>     @LPNational
>     Join the Libertarian Party at: http://lp.org/membership
>
>     On 12/9/2014 12:11 PM, William Redpath wrote:
>>     Attached.  See you in New Orleans. Thanks, Bill Redpath
>>
>>
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