Richard Winger became interested in minor parties in the early 1960s, while he was working toward a bachelor's degree in political science at the University of California, Berkeley. He was curious as to who voted for minor parties, and began analyzing the votes of the Prohibition Party, Socialist Labor Party, and Socialist Workers Party (the only 3 nationally organized parties which ran candidates). He also analyzed the votes of previous minor parties, especially the Communist and Socialist parties.

Winger was surprised at the lack of data on minor parties in his home state. After a little more research, he discovered the reason why: California had an extremely harsh ballot access law, which required a new party to have 66,000 registered members, or 660,000 signatures. Winger wrote his own ballot access bill slashing these requirements, and convinced his home-town Assemblyman to introduce it. Despite the fact that his bill passed committees in both houses of the legislature, it was killed by the Republicans, who feared that it would allow George Wallace to run for President in 1968, and end their chances of taking the White House.

After the Republicans killed his bill, Winger became even more interested and active in ballot access issues. Through his studies and activities, Winger became America's leading expert on ballot access laws. He has testified before a Congressional committee, and before legislative committees in 8 states. Further, he has testified in court--either in person or via affidavit--in over 100 cases. He has also consulted for many presidential campaigns, both independents and minor party candidates, helping them to understand the specific rules and requirements of each state.

Winger points with pride to the fact that ballot access laws are generally becoming more lenient in most states since 1985, when he started publishing "Ballot Access News," a monthly newsletter that explores current ballot access provision across the country. By publicizing the variety of rules, and helping local activists learn about the laws in other states, he has provided powerful information in easing and reducing the hurdles which minor party and independent candidates had to pass.

Winger has recently completed his first book, which is being published by the Brennan Center for Justice. It should be available by late 1998.

Quotable

"Being for or against the two-party system is like being for or against gravity."

Books & Tapes

To purchase books and tapes about or by this Libertarian Celebrity, search the world's best selection of books 
on liberty at Laissez Faire Books. For books or tapes that are not about liberty, search the vast resources at Amazon Books.