Interesting page. I looked it over, and kept a copy for myself (in case they have "updates").

One of the things that I find very dubious about the page the FEC issued is that there are a number of states where Charles was a registered write-in but received no votes according to the FEC's page. This seems unlikely, since the effort to register as a write-in requires a few people in the state to take action. They would then be unlikely to all neglect to cast write-in votes.

We are aware from various news stories (see especially IndependentPoliticalReport.com) that many counties didn't "bother" to count write-in ballots. That may be true of some entire states, or of the relevant counties in states where write-in voters were casting ballots.

There is also a very large number of unreduced write-in votes shown on that page. My copy shows miscellaneous write-ins as over 112,550. I wonder if one were to go through those write-ins whether one would find a number of votes for various listed candidates, including Charles.

For the total impact of the Boston Tea Party, we should add in the 531 votes for George Phillies, who received our endorsement in New Hampshire, with his running mate Chris Bennett. This brings us up to 2,953 voters. Not bad for our first presidential election.

A couple of other thoughts. Tom Knapp on Knappster.blogspot.com makes the interesting point that the anti-establishment fervor which Howard Dean organised to bring Democrat majorities into both houses of Congress and to elect Obama has been rewarded with nothing. Nothing for Dean, and no meaningful change to the establishment. No anti-establishment policies (ending the war, for example) have been implemented. Nothing but establishment Democrats have been put in office. One would like to see a lot of disillusionment with these results, especially among younger voters.

A final point. The total number of voters the FEC lists is 131,257,328 in a country in which the government (Census bureau) admits to at least 305.8 million population. Less than 43% of the population voted in this election.

A large number of people in the country are disenfranchised deliberately by the powers that be which don't allow, for example, the members of the Boston Tea Party who are under 18 to vote. About a quarter of the population, or 76 million people are too young to vote. Another 11 million are illegal immigrants and not allowed to vote. About 20 million are legally resident but not citizens and therefore denied the opportunity to vote. About 4.1 million are "institutionalised" in prison, jail, nursing homes, hospitals, paroled, or in other institutions and denied the opportunity to vote. These persons not "qualified" to vote total about 111 million. (Views are likely to differ as to whether it would be good to extend voting to different groups in this area.)

That leaves about 63.8 million who chose not to vote. Some number of these people may have failed to register to vote, and been denied the option to vote if they tried to do so. I would guess not more than a million or so prospective voters tried to vote and were refused. So, about 20% or a fifth of the population is eligible to vote but chooses not to do so. Sixty-two million people have either given up on political change in the system, are unwilling to vote for ethical reasons, don't believe their vote would be counted, or don't see any reason to vote.

The current administration can claim a majority of those who voted in the recent election, or 52.92% of the vote according to the FEC. However, those 69+ million voters represent only 22.7% of the total population. In other words, a minority of the population a bit more than the group which chooses not to vote. To say that Obama represents the majority of the American people would be false.

In pursuing our political strategies, it might be well to consider that unvoiced fifth who have refused to vote or not bothered to vote. Since the current president was elected by a bit more than a fifth of the population, that size group can be significant. And I wonder if they are more likely potential members of our party than, say, committed Republicans who voted for McCain.

If we add the 2,420 for CJ and the 522 for Phillies (endorsed) that puts BTP Presidential candidates at 2,942; which is just ahead of the 1972 LP.

I find it disappointing to read where so many counties in different states are refusing to even count write-in votes. Disgusting.

Thanks for keeping us posted.

That's monumentally cool! I don't think those votes have been included in other totals.

Thanks for that research! He was also a registered write-in in Utah and several other states. Would you mind checking with him to find out which ones? Montana was another, I'm pretty sure.

If you could continue this research, I think that would be great.

These numbers might be true, but I think the United State House of Representatives Clerks Office has the OFFICAL number not the REAL number. We’re speaking about the government here. ;)