Re: [Marxism] SWP ballot signature collecting

["John Obrien" <causecollector@xxxxxxx>]

I had also worked as a volunteer to get signatures for the SWP Presidential 
campaigns both in 1968 and again in 1972. I was never paid to get signatures.  
The SWP did pay for my cost of gas for the car loads I was in (since I was 
poor) - but that is the only financial outlays I knew about. I went to places 
such as upstate New York to get signatures. I do not think the SWP had that 
kind of money then - to pay for professional paid signature gatherers and 
instead relied on their supporters.

I went to small little towns in upstate New York, dominated by conservative 
views, where to try and even say you wanted a socialist on the ballot was a 
brave act!  One had to go through many people, going door to door, seeking the 
few fair minded people. The capitalist election rules did this to make it 
extremely hard for left parties to get on the ballot. One had to get a specific 
number of registered voters, from each county - even sparsely populated ones.  
The SWP members and supporters then were very committed individuals and managed 
to get the signatures in some counties, that had  very few residents.  Sadly 
these committed individuals were sold out by the Jack Barnes forces later on - 
but that is another story.

John O'Brien
Los Angeles
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Rod Holt 
  To: Activists and scholars in Marxist tradition 
  Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2004 8:35 AM
  Subject: Re: [Marxism] Nader ballot woes


  I can state first hand that the SWP had no hired petetioners up to 1972 
  in NY, NYC and Michigan where I worked both *on the road* and in the 
  National Office. I doubt very much that there were any anywhere.
         —rod

  LouPaulsen wrote:

  >
  >  Lou, correct me if I'm wrong,
  >but didn't the SWP used to hire petitioners to get on the ballot in New York
  >where you had to get so many signatures from each county?
  >
  >
  >
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