Linda Jenness
Encyclopedia
Linda Jenness was a Socialist Workers Party
candidate for president of the United States
in the 1972 election
. She received 83,380 votes (vs. 47,169,911 for Richard Nixon
).In Arizona, Pima and Yavapai counties had a ballot malfunction that counted many votes for both a major party candidate and Linda Jenness. A court ordered that the ballots be counted for both. As a consequence, Jenness received 16% and 8% of the vote in Pima and Yavapai, respectively. 30,579 of her 30,945 Arizona votes are from those two counties. Some sources don't count these votes for Jenness.
standards, a case about which it has been said that it "continues to haunt the jurisprudence of ballot access law" (Raskin 2003, page 103).
She was also involved in the case 26 F.C.C.2d 485 (1970), regarding media coverage of third-party
candidates.
In 1972, Jenness, Vice Presidential candidate Andrew Pulley
, and People's Party
candidates Benjamin Spock
and Julius Hobson
wrote to Major General Bert A. David, commanding officer of Fort Dix in New Jersey
asking for permission to distribute campaign literature and to hold an election-related campaign meeting. Based on Fort Dix regulations 210-26 and 210-27, General David refused the request. Ultimately the case made its way to the United States Supreme Court (424 U.S. 828—Greer, Commander, Fort Dix Military Reservation, et al., v. Spock et al., which ruled against the plaintiffs).
Aged 31 at time of the election, she did not meet the Constitutional age requirement
to hold the office of President, but the SWP was on the ballot in 25 states—six more than in 1968. She qualified for the Ohio
ballot but was removed when she could not prove she was 35.
As of September 2010, Linda Jeness was still active as supporter of the SWP.
Socialist Workers Party (United States)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba...
candidate for president of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 1972 election
United States presidential election, 1972
The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...
. She received 83,380 votes (vs. 47,169,911 for Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
).In Arizona, Pima and Yavapai counties had a ballot malfunction that counted many votes for both a major party candidate and Linda Jenness. A court ordered that the ballots be counted for both. As a consequence, Jenness received 16% and 8% of the vote in Pima and Yavapai, respectively. 30,579 of her 30,945 Arizona votes are from those two counties. Some sources don't count these votes for Jenness.
Biography
Jenness was the party's candidate for Governor of Georgia in 1970. She had collected 88,175 signatures in order to get on the ballot. Jenness, the SWP and two other candidates of the party brought a lawsuit, Jenness v. Fortson 403 U.S. 431 (1971), regarding Georgia's ballot accessBallot access
Ballot access rules, called nomination rules outside the United States, regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is either entitled to stand for election or to appear on voters' ballots...
standards, a case about which it has been said that it "continues to haunt the jurisprudence of ballot access law" (Raskin 2003, page 103).
She was also involved in the case 26 F.C.C.2d 485 (1970), regarding media coverage of third-party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
candidates.
In 1972, Jenness, Vice Presidential candidate Andrew Pulley
Andrew Pulley
Andrew Pulley is an American politician who ran as Socialist Workers Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1972; at the time he was twenty years old, making him ineligible under the United States Constitution. Along with Presidential candidate Linda Jenness he received 52,799...
, and People's Party
People's Party (United States, 1970s)
The People's Party was a political party in the United States, founded in 1971 by various individuals and State and local political parties, including the Peace and Freedom Party, Commongood People's Party, Country People's Caucus, Human Rights Party, Liberty Union, New American Party, New Party...
candidates Benjamin Spock
Benjamin Spock
Benjamin McLane Spock was an American pediatrician whose book Baby and Child Care, published in 1946, is one of the biggest best-sellers of all time. Its message to mothers is that "you know more than you think you do."Spock was the first pediatrician to study psychoanalysis to try to understand...
and Julius Hobson
Julius Hobson
Julius W. Hobson was the People's Party Vice Presidential candidate in 1972. Benjamin Spock was the People's Party Presidential candidate. They polled 0.1014% of the popular vote and no electoral votes....
wrote to Major General Bert A. David, commanding officer of Fort Dix in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
asking for permission to distribute campaign literature and to hold an election-related campaign meeting. Based on Fort Dix regulations 210-26 and 210-27, General David refused the request. Ultimately the case made its way to the United States Supreme Court (424 U.S. 828—Greer, Commander, Fort Dix Military Reservation, et al., v. Spock et al., which ruled against the plaintiffs).
Aged 31 at time of the election, she did not meet the Constitutional age requirement
Age of candidacy
Age of candidacy is the minimum age at which a person can legally qualify to hold certain elected government offices. In many cases, it also determines the age at which a person may be eligible to stand for an election or be granted ballot access....
to hold the office of President, but the SWP was on the ballot in 25 states—six more than in 1968. She qualified for the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
ballot but was removed when she could not prove she was 35.
As of September 2010, Linda Jeness was still active as supporter of the SWP.
Books
Linda Jenness has authored several books and pamphlets, or provided introductions. Some of these are as follows:- Jenness, Linda, and Fidel CastroFidel CastroFidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
(1970). Woman & The Cuban Revolution New York: Pathfinder PressPathfinder tendencyThe Pathfinder tendency is the unofficial name of a group of historically Trotskyist organizations that are politically and organizationally allied with the Socialist Workers Party of the United States and its perspective of solidarity with the Cuban Revolution and the Cuban Communist Party.The...
. - Jenness, Linda (1972). Socialism and democracy; a speech by Linda Jenness, Socialist Workers Party candidate for president, 1972. New York: Pathfinder Press ISBN 0-87348-280-8
- Jenness, Linda (1973). Feminism and Socialism. New York: Pathfinder Press ISBN 1-199-12398-6
- Jenness, Linda, and Andrew PulleyAndrew PulleyAndrew Pulley is an American politician who ran as Socialist Workers Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1972; at the time he was twenty years old, making him ineligible under the United States Constitution. Along with Presidential candidate Linda Jenness he received 52,799...
(1973). Introduction to Watergate: The View from the Left - Unpublicized Facts About Government Attacks on Dissenters and the Socialists; Strategy for Fighting Back New York: Pathfinder Press - Jenness, Linda (1975). Last Hired, First Fired: Affirmative Action VS. Seniority