Independent American Party files list of 32 candidates

The Independent American Party became the first of Nevada's so-called minority parties to file its list of eligible candidates Monday.

Spokesman Janine Hansen said there are 32 candidates on the list for offices ranging from U.S. Senate and governor to Elko County public administrator.

Minor parties in Nevada don't participate in the primary election process. Instead, they develop a list of nominees at their party conventions and file that list with the secretary of state's office. Those individuals are then permitted to individually file and run for the offices to which they have been nominated.

The first four of those candidates filed their papers Monday afternoon including Minden's David Schumann who is running for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican John Ensign.

Schumann said he filed after watching the U.S. Senate "betray the citizens of the United States" by supporting amnesty for illegal aliens.

In addition, Thomas Jefferson, of Elko, filed for lieutenant governor, Hansen for secretary of state and Merritt "Ike" Yochum for the Capital Senate District seat held by Mark Amodei.

Hansen said IAP has grown substantially in recent years and now has more than 32,000 registered voters in Nevada.

Another minor party qualified for the ballot in Nevada is the Libertarian Party. The Green Party failed to get enough votes in 2004 to qualify for ballot access, but officials said one Green candidate for governor qualified himself by collecting more than 250 signatures and will be allowed to file this year.

Other minor parties wishing to qualify for ballot access have until July 7 to file petitions with at least 7,915 signatures of registered voters.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.