It's Quiet, Too Quiet.

It's a little surprising to me how little coverage there has been on the upcoming election. With just a little more than four months to go until election day, The Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Richmond Free Press, and The Richmond Voice have yet to mention my candidacy in its columns. I depend on the press of the First Amendment to get my message out. Press silence on election coverage, particularly early coverage is a disgrace to the occupation of Journalism and an insult to Democracy. Again, Style Weekly is to be commended for it's July 4, 2007 article, Independent's Day and Candidate Profile.

Admittedly, I share some of the blame. I have not sent press releases to any of the City's news outlets. Rather I have worked steadily by myself, collecting signatures, updating websites, filing forms, satisfying legally prescribed requirements to get my name on the ballot. All the while, I have continued to attend Richmond City Council's committee meetings and Formal meetings.

Luckily for me, City Council has cancelled nearly all of its meetings for August so this will be a prime opportunity for me to get out and start campaigning door to door, which I have not done since June 12.

I should enjoy this quiet before the tempest of the campaign. I am looking forward to the public forums and saying what I think. I am happy to participate in a democratic election as a private citizen rather than the paid "political-creature" of Economic Interests.

View Mr. McEachin's lastest Campaign Finance Report.

Or view Mr. McEachin's data from vpap.org.

According to the State Board of Elections website, this year's election is the first contested election in over a decade! In the last three Senate elections, voters have only had one choice, Benjamin J. Lambert.

This year you have a choice -- you can vote for a Democrat or a Socialist. I am not a Republican, I am more liberal than a Democrat. I imagine I would vote with the Democrats most of the time. So you will not be losing a Democratic vote on important legislation, you will be gaining a voice for change in the General Assembly. A voice for universal health care, universal education, jobs for Virginians, expanding democracy and self government, encouraging and supporting labor unions, seeking citizen input on governmental processes and engaging voters like never before.

Check the website in early August for an updated website and literature to download. I hope to meet and talk with you.

Some Different and Surprising Responses

The Fourth of July issue of Style Weekly featured Independent candidates running for office this November. I'd like to commend Style Weekly for this early preview of the candidates seeking office this year. It is impressive

Campaign Finance Reports Due Today!

Today marked another milestone of the campaign. I filed my first camaign finance report. The totals went something exactly like this, Expenditures to date: $10.75 , Money in the Bank: $100. The expenditures were $10 for the packet of forms from the Board of Elections required to run for office, and 75¢ for photocopies of my petitions from the Richmond Registrar's Office. I plan to be my only campaign contributor. I am not soliciting nor accepting campaign donations. I am the Anti-money candidate.

I filed my reports by paper version. I can't use the software provided by the Board of Elections because I use a Mac and they only provide software for PCs. When one files by paper report, the candidate is required to file the original signed report with the Board of Elections (In Richmond, located at 200 N. 9th St. Suite 101 in Downtown Richmond) and a copy with the Local Registrar's Office which is the City of Richmond Registrar's Office located in Room 105 on the First Floor of City Hall at 900 E. Broad Street. We, candidates in Richmond, have it made when it comes to delivering paperwork -- only one block apart.

I completed my Campaign Finance Report last night before I went to sleep. I woke up at 7 am and updated my campaign website a little bit. I added five quotes from Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, a Socialist news link, a link to NPR, and a link to a biography of Abraham Lincoln. Then I rode down to Kinko's Downtown and made two sets of copies, one for my records and one for the Richmond Registrar's Office.

I made it to the State Board of Elections Office shortly after 9:15 am. A young man there accepted my Campaign Finance Report and date stamped the pages. I asked him for a written receipt which I am accustomed to receiving whenever I drop off paperwork with the Board of Elections or the Registrar's Office. The young man replied, "We don't really do that, I can stamp your copy." I handed him my copies to date stamp and told him I had received written receipts before to which he responded, "I don't normally work here." Oh, that explains it.

Five minutes later at City Hall in the Registrar's Office, I had a good time telling the story to Ms. Wagoner about how I couldn't get a receipt from the Board of Elections. She was sure to give me a receipt for the copy of the Campaign Finance Report I submitted to her.