According to voter registration statistics released by the Secretary of State on Friday, the Independent Party of Oregon now has more than 12,500 members, becoming the 4th largest political party in Oregon. The growth of the party, which is just year old, is unprecedented for an Oregon-based minor political party. The Independent Party will almost certainly become Oregon's third largest party (and largest minor party) by the end of March 2008, if not sooner.

January '08 Minor party registration

Libertarians.......14,285
Independents.......12,597
Pacific Greens.....11,104
Constitution....... 2,967
Working Families... 1,588

The Independent Party remains the only political party to gain members in Oregon during the last 12 months.

• Constitution of the Independent Party of Oregon
• Bylaws of the Independent Party of Oregon

The Independent Party is the only political party to grow in membership in Oregon during the first half of 2007. This screen shot from our google maps-based campaign software shows where most of our members live

Independent means independent, insofar as membership in the Independent Party of Oregon is concerned.

However, the Party reserves the right to take positions on issues that affect our ability to function effectively as a political organization.

Issues that the party may take a position on include:

• Ballot Access for candidates
• Election reform (candidate and ballot initiative)
• Campaign finance reform (visit www.fairelections.net)

According to the Portland Tribune, former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, John Frohnmayer is considering a bid for the U.S. Senate.

From the Trib...

Of late, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has been casting about desperately for a candidate to challenge Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith, causing speculation to arise even about nonpoliticians like John Russell.

In comparison to such speculation, however, one name sounds like a sure thing – John Frohnmayer. The only catch? He’s not a Democrat.

Frohnmayer, brother of former Oregon Attorney General Dave Frohnmayer and an art historian at Oregon State University, is a former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts under George H.W. Bush.

Oregon has a proud history of independent politics.

1930's

The first independent to be elected to statewide office, Julius Meier, was elected Governor in 1930 with 54% of the vote in a 3-way race.

During his one term in office, Meier established the Oregon State Police, the State Unemployment Commission, and the State Board of Agriculture. He is credited with putting Oregon on solid financial footing in the wake of the Great Depression and with reforms that led to the creation of Oregon's non-partisan judicial system.

1950's

For Candidates

Anyone who is interested in running as an Independent candidate for public office should contact us directly and fill out our candidate questionnaire.

The Independent Party of Oregon is entitled to place one candidate on the general election ballot for each of the following offices:

• President of the United States
  
• United States Senator
  
• United States Representative (in each of 5 districts)
  
• Governor
  
• Secretary of State
  
• Attorney General
  
• State Treasurer

Oregon has a proud history of independent politics. We are one of 3 states to elect an independent as Governor. Wayne Morse served as an independent in the United States Senate.

Unfortunately, it is now all but impossible to run for public office as an independent candidate in Oregon. In 2005, the Oregon State Legislature enacted House Bill 2614, a law intended to keep independent candidates off of the Oregon ballot by disqualifying all Republicans and Democrats who vote (on anything) in the primary election from signing any petition for a candidate seeking to qualify for the general election.

In response to this new law, citizen activists collected 26,000 signatures during 2006 to form the Independent Party of Oregon. The party was officially recognized by the Oregon Secretary of State in January 2007.

New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg announced last week that he has left the Republican Party, and appears to be mulling a Presidential bid as an Independent candidate.

Bloomberg, who was often referred to as a DINO (Democrat in Name Only), for his fiscal conservatism prior to leaving the Democratic Party for the GOP, and a RINO, for his socially moderate policies prior to leaving the Republicans, appears to be one of several major politicians who has recognized the damaging effect that partisan divisions have had on this country.

Pundits and skeptics will be guessing and second-guessing about Mayor Bloomberg's "real" agenda should he announce a bid for the White House, but I would welcome his entry into the 2008 campaign.

Michael Bloomberg in the News...

IPO Chief Sponsor, Linda Williams, talks with Thom Hartmann about the Independent Party today.

Start listening 24 minutes in (a little over 1/3 of the way through.)

Link To KPOJ Podcast