Worried Democrats work hard to keep Nader off the ballot [View All]

Democratic party activists and officials are campaigning to stop the independent candidate Ralph Nader's name appearing on the ballot, because they believe it could threaten their effort to defeat George Bush. They are using every possible legal means to deny voters the chance of voting for Mr Nader, including advising Democrats not to sign his petitions to get on the ballot, challenging the signatures he does get, and showing ads attacking his candidacy. Mr Nader is running as an anti-war and anti-corporate candidate.

A recent email from a Texas Democratic party official to members, obtained by the Guardian, was headed Keep Nader off the Texas Ballot and continued: "We need to make sure he is nowhere near a ballot in Texas."

Other pressure groups attacking Mr Nader have grown out of the primary campaigns supporting Wesley Clark and Howard Dean.

Michael Frisby, communications director of the Stop Nader Campaign, said: "The point is not just to keep him from getting on the ballot but to make him spend money and time in all of these places so he has less money and time to spend getting votes."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1228613,00.html