A Writer’s Diary Entries From Early June, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Early June, 1997 | Richard Grayson

Arizona Republic Article on No Labels Party Mentions Richard Grayson's Candidacy

Today, September 29, 2023, The Arizona Republic website published "No Labels can't stop candidates and a primary election it doesn't want," a column by Abe Kwok that mentions Richard Grayson's efforts to become an anti-No Labels Arizona No Labels Party candidate:

Arizona statute says, “A new political party may become eligible for recognition and shall be represented by an official party ballot at the next ensuing regular primary election.” The operative word being “shall.”

Beyond that, nothing stops someone who is registered with a political party from gathering sufficient nomination signatures to qualify the party’s primary election. The threshold is even easier for new political parties, requiring fewer signatures.

And the threshold is virtually nonexistent for someone like Richard Grayson, one of the two people whom No Labels is trying to block. Grayson, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat and perennial candidate who describes his candidacy as performance art, plans on running as a write-in candidate.

He said he’s running chiefly to be a thorn in the side of No Labels, whose leadership he believes is helping former President Donald Trump get elected by siphoning votes away from President Joe Biden.

His plan is honed:

• Wait until the deadline for submitting signatures;

• See who qualifies for the ballot;

• Look for an office in which there’s no qualified Democratic candidate;

• and notify the Secretary of State’s Office of his plans to run as a write-in.

His name, along with those of other verified write-in candidates, will be made available on the web and at polling sites come election time. He only needs a few votes to advance. State law requires a plurality of the votes cast for the office. It could be one vote, theoretically.

Grayson has won three Arizona primaries by way of the wr‪ite-in route — twice under the Green Party and once under Americans Elect — with as few as two votes.

Even if not a single person qualifies as a No Labels candidate, everyone registered with No Labels gets a blank ballot (with only a listing of offices up for election) for the August 2024 state primary. And Grayson — unless challenged by another write-in for that yet-to-be-determined office — will represent No Labels.

Party support or not.

 

The column appered in the print Arizona Republic on Saturday, October 7, 2023.

Ballot Access News Publishes an Article on Richard Grayson as a No Labels Party Candidate in Alaska

Today, September 28, 2023, Ballot Access News published an article by Richard Winger, "Alaska U.S. House Candidate for 2024 with "No Labels" Qualifies for August 2024 Primary Ballot," about Richard Grayson's campaign.

AP Article on Arizona and No Labels Party Mentions Richard Grayson's Efforts As a No Labels Party Candidate

An Associated Press article by Jonathan J. Cooper, "Arizona says No Labels must accept all candidates even if the third party’s leadership opposes them," published today, September 28, 2023, mentions Richard Grayson:

Two potential candidates in Arizona have so far filed to run for office as No Labels party members: Tyson Draper for U.S. Senate and Richard Grayson for the state utility regulator, known as the Corporation Commission.

Grayson, who supports Biden, recently compared his plan to a “performance art piece.”

Alaska election officials also notified Grayson last week that he’ll appear on the primary ballot in that state for U.S. House as a No Labels candidate.

Grayson, a perennial candidate, has previously run for U.S. House in Wyoming despite living in Arizona, noting House candidates are only required to live in the state where they were elected once they take office.

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Late May, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Late May, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-May, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-May, 1997 | Richard Grayson

AP Article on Arizona No Labels Party Mentions Richard Grayson and Pinal County No Labels Party Voters for Joe Biden

An Associated Press article by Jonathan J. Cooper, "A third party signed up 15,000 voters in Arizona. Democrats worry that’s enough for a Biden spoiler," published today, September 21, 2023, mentions Richard Grayson:

A perennial candidate from outside Phoenix signed up as a No Labels candidate and declared himself chairman of No Labels’ Pinal County chapter, in part so he could run for state office and try to force the party to follow the state’s campaign finance reporting laws.

“It’s kind of like a performance art piece,” said Richard Grayson, who promptly after switching to No Labels endorsed Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Early May, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Early May, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Late April, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Late April, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-April, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-April, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Early April, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Early April, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Late March, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Late March, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-March, 1997 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-March, 1997 | Richard Grayson