Will Americans Elect Deliver a Third Presidential Candidate?

Or is the concept too good to be true?Over the past several months, Americans Elect (a startup organization aiming to bring American voters the first nonpartisan nomination) has been touting its progress in delivering a third Presidential option in 2012. On its About page, Americans Elect writes, “We're using the Internet to break the gridlock in Washington, open up the political process and give every single voter—Democrat, Republican or independent—the power to nominate a presidential ticket in 2012. Your voice matters. You decide the issues. You choose the candidates. And in a secure, online convention next June, you will make history by putting the Americans Elect ticket on the ballot in every state.”It sounds like a dream come true, doesn't it? “With Americans Elect, you have the power to choose leadership that puts country before party, and America's interests before special interests,” the organization insists. “You have the power to change politics as usual.”Today, Americans Elect announced that it has collected 18,000 signatures for presidential ballot access in South Carolina.“While our choices in this two-party system continue to dwindle after a handful of votes in two states, the people of South Carolina are waking up to the fact that Americans Elect gives them another option for picking a president this year,” Ken Baker, an Americans Elect volunteer delegate, said in a company release.“This is a moment in time when the country, unsettled with the current choices for president, needs more options, not less,” added Elliot Ackerman, COO of Americans Elect, also quoted in a company release. “Americans Elect will draw people back to the electoral process, not push them away or limit their impact or involvement. At the end of January, Americans Elect will begin the process of drafting candidates by leveraging the newest technologies to return us to one of our oldest values, which is ensuring that every single voter can participate in the nomination of our presidential candidates.”Thus far, the voting group has acquired nearly 2.4 million signatures from voters across the country. Americans Elect said that once the signatures of South Carolina voters are certified by the state election commission, “all Palmetto State voters will have a third choice on the ballot in November.”Several states have already been secured by Americans Elect, ensuring a line on the ballot this November. Those states include Arizona, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Nevada, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont.Americans Elect plans to hold the first online presidential nominating convention in June. To participate, the site requires that U.S. voters sign up to become an Americans Elect delegate.Follow me @LouisBedigian