I have been reading the online comments to the afore posted "press release" on various outlets and came across this one: "Just when I thought this ballot drama would go away, a new distraction comes in the form of a lawsuit. Now, with the pro bono help from respected counsel, Ms. Riddle can blame an unfair system for her ballot plight. Win or lose, it will not change the fact that she is fully responsible for creating her own untenable position." (County Taxpayer says on the Durango Herald online).
Now any good political advisor would tell me to not repeat "bad press", clearly I don't have a political advisor and may need to get one--- but it really got me thinking about how some people view my situation. Here, in a few words I hope to better explain.
One, I don't feel like I am in an untenable situation, I am truly glad to be where I am and take full responsibility for it. I didn't know that I had missed the deadline when I disaffiliated, because I felt like I had no other choice and couldn't continue with how things were going--and that was truly the untenable position that I found myself wanting to escape. Frankly one thing I did know was that I was loosing my passion for my job and finding myself not wanting to consider running for election again if it was to continue on those same terms. I noticed more and more how uncomfortable I was with the unwritten rules of the party do's and dont's.
As was also mentioned in a letter to the editor by Ann Markward, who I served with when I was Chair of the Democratic Executive Committee. Ann and I shared many hard-working and rewarding times together, at least from my perspective and it was tough to hear her viewpoint on this one, especially when we hadn't spoken about any of it prior to her letter. She states that "Riddle campaigned for and elected by Democrats, was expected to represent everyone in this county from a-surprise!-Democratic perspective." (Durango Herald newspaper Tuesday, 11-17-09 Letters to the editor)
Ironically enough, that was exactly what I thought I had been doing for the last three years---I thought I was representing everyone in this county from a Democratic perspective! One thing that I believed about being a Democrat was that, among other things we embraced diversity---including, but not limited to diversity of thought (Rest assured I know that there is no one party ownership of this term, but honestly in some ways the Democrats seem to have done a better job on this one recently). I also thought that the party was big enough to encompass many points on the party spectrum. I don't know if that is really true.
Bottom line, I don't know how we got so mixed up in what the "definition" of a Democrat is, but it happened. I guess becoming an independent and unaffiliating myself is my solution--and it feels like a very honest one. I will not say that one philosophy fits every issue, as is sometimes required within a party mindset. Disaffiliating and saying that party politics have no place in county government is also a solution that has helped me regain my passion for wanting to be a county commissioner and most importantly, connected me to my democracy in a way that I never could have imagined.
I may not win the lawsuit, I may not run for office again and I may not "win", but one thing I will continue to do is make decisions that I feel good about and am proud to be responsible for. I have done that in my three years of office and I want to continue to do so in a way that may help us not make assumptions about where we are or where we should be on issues ---just according to party positions.
At the end of the day I know I did the best job I could and that I listened to as many diverse perspectives as possible as well as doing extensive research into whatever subject is being considered. I think that's what counts the most and it allows me to get up the next morning and do it all over again---and enjoy it!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Press Release Announcing Lawsuit
Here is a press release that was sent out today:
_____________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2009
COUNTY COMMISSIONER JOELLE RIDDLE FILES FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO GAIN EQUAL ACCESS TO BALLOT AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
Durango, CO — La Plata County Commissioner Joelle Riddle will file a federal lawsuit this week challenging the constitutionality of a state election law that imposes a heavier burden on independent candidates to obtain a place on the ballot.
The statute in question precludes an independent or unaffiliated candidate from being eligible to be nominated by petition for elective office unless they were not affiliated with any political party for one year plus 140 days before the general election, or by June 15 of this year. Riddle changed her affiliation on August 21.
While a similar statute appears to impose the same burden on major party candidates, that statute allows major parties to "opt out" of this requirement by adopting party rules to override the statute. Both major parties have taken advantage of this opt out provision and now allow a candidate to obtain the nomination of their party just as long as they have been a member of the party one year before the general election and thus providing an exemption from the 140 "additional" days required by all others.
"I seek to remedy this burden that falls unequally on small political parties and independent or unaffiliated candidates, unfairly discriminating against them and not affording them the same privileges as the major political parties. Throughout my campaign and during my three years in office, I have always maintained that partisan politics have no place in county government,” Riddle said. “I work for all citizens of La Plata County regardless of their affiliation and believe I can do so more effectively as an Independent County Commissioner and I would like an equal opportunity to be on the ballot as such.
"The Supreme Court has held that "[t]he exclusion of candidates also burdens voters' freedom of association, because an election campaign is an effective platform for the expression of views on the issues of the day, and a candidate serves as a rallying point for likeminded citizens."
"If an election law unfairly or unnecessarily burdens the citizens' political opportunity, it is unconstitutional", Riddle says.
The Commissioner invites public response to her filing the lawsuit at independentcommissioner.blogspot.com or joelleriddle@hotmail.com or independentcommissioner@gmail.com
***************
_____________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2009
COUNTY COMMISSIONER JOELLE RIDDLE FILES FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO GAIN EQUAL ACCESS TO BALLOT AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
Durango, CO — La Plata County Commissioner Joelle Riddle will file a federal lawsuit this week challenging the constitutionality of a state election law that imposes a heavier burden on independent candidates to obtain a place on the ballot.
The statute in question precludes an independent or unaffiliated candidate from being eligible to be nominated by petition for elective office unless they were not affiliated with any political party for one year plus 140 days before the general election, or by June 15 of this year. Riddle changed her affiliation on August 21.
While a similar statute appears to impose the same burden on major party candidates, that statute allows major parties to "opt out" of this requirement by adopting party rules to override the statute. Both major parties have taken advantage of this opt out provision and now allow a candidate to obtain the nomination of their party just as long as they have been a member of the party one year before the general election and thus providing an exemption from the 140 "additional" days required by all others.
"I seek to remedy this burden that falls unequally on small political parties and independent or unaffiliated candidates, unfairly discriminating against them and not affording them the same privileges as the major political parties. Throughout my campaign and during my three years in office, I have always maintained that partisan politics have no place in county government,” Riddle said. “I work for all citizens of La Plata County regardless of their affiliation and believe I can do so more effectively as an Independent County Commissioner and I would like an equal opportunity to be on the ballot as such.
"The Supreme Court has held that "[t]he exclusion of candidates also burdens voters' freedom of association, because an election campaign is an effective platform for the expression of views on the issues of the day, and a candidate serves as a rallying point for likeminded citizens."
"If an election law unfairly or unnecessarily burdens the citizens' political opportunity, it is unconstitutional", Riddle says.
The Commissioner invites public response to her filing the lawsuit at independentcommissioner.blogspot.com or joelleriddle@hotmail.com or independentcommissioner@gmail.com
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