In 2016, Two years ago this month, the Los Angeles Times investigated one of the longest-lingering questions in California Politics: Are some voters mistakenly joining a Political Party when what they really want is to be an Electoral Free Agent? The answer seemed to be Yes, with substantial evidence of Citizens who thought they were an Unaffiliated "Independent" Voter but instead Registered with the American Independent Party (AIP). And no, those aren't the same thing.
The AIP was organized 50 years ago in California to boost the Presidential Candidacy of former Alabama Gov. George Wallace, best known for his support of Segregation. Current Party Leaders insist those days are long gone, focusing now on a Platform opposed to Abortion and Same-Sex Marriage while Praising the 2nd Amendment and Border Security. In 2016, the Party joined Republicans in nominating Trump for President.
More than a half-million Californians are now Registered as Members of the AIP. The AIP's share of First-Time Registrants since 2017 is more than Three times the size of any other Minor party, even as the AIP's Website still showcases information from 2016 and has No Statewide Candidates this year. All the while, its Leaders continue to boast of it being "the fastest-growing political party in California", which has come at the same time that more Californians are Rejecting Parties outright and Registering as "No Party Preference" or NPP Voters.
The AIP has maintained Official Recognition by the Size of its Registration. Asked for Comment via email, an AIP Leader dismissed this as "another hit piece on us" and the idea of widespread voter confusion as "speculative." Are you an Independent California voter? Not if you checked the AIP box.
In 2008, Top State Elections Officials privately circulated a Memo that suggested the Legislature could Pass a Law Banning Party Names with words such as "American" or "United States" or "independent." The Litmus Test would be applied when the Party Renewed its Official Status, after each Gubernatorial Election. The goal, the Memo said, would be to "reduce or eliminate the number of people who think they're registering" as an unaffiliated voter.
Such Limitations are rare but real. Wyoming has long Banned the word "independent" in the Name of any New Political Party.
California, though, Bans only Names that are "so similar to the name of an existing party so as to mislead the voters", a Regulation that's being challenged in Court by a New Party with American in its Name.
Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who is Buying the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune, is Registered as a Member of the AIP. A Spokesman says it was a Mistake and Soon-Shiong is changing his Status to NPP.
This issue caught fire in 2016, when Unaffiliated Voters were invited to cast Ballots in the Democratic Presidential Primary. Those who discovered on Election Day that they were in the AIP were out of luck. One Santa Cruz County AIP Voter balked, successfully persuading a Judge to let her switch Affiliations and Cast a Ballot.
Sacramento Lawmakers have largely dismissed the issue for years, either over concerns about forcing a Name Change or because, as Democrats and Republicans, they're not that worried about Non-Party Voters. And so Voter Education may be the only Solution, including more Clarity in Voter Registration materials.
Political Data Researcher Paul Mitchell used to send AIP Voters a Card on April Fool's' Day to show them what they'd done. With that Annual Celebration now upon us, it might be worth Logging on to the Secretary of State's website to Check your Status. If you end up surprised, just remember that you're not alone.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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