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Nonpartisanship

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Not to be confused withNon-partisan democracy.
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Nonpartisanship,also known asnonpartisanism,is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, apolitical party.[1]

While anOxford English Dictionarydefinition ofpartisanincludes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc.,[2]in most cases, nonpartisan refers specifically to political party connections rather than being the strictantonymof "partisan".[3][4][5]

Canada[edit]

In Canada, theLegislative Assembly of the Northwest Territoriesand theLegislative Assembly of Nunavutare the only bodies at theprovincial/territorial levelthat are currently nonpartisan; they operate on aconsensus governmentsystem. TheautonomousNunatsiavut Assemblyoperates similarly on a sub-provincial level.

India[edit]

InIndia,theJaago Re! One Billion Votescampaign was a non-partisan campaign initiated byTata Tea,andJanaagrahato encourage citizens to vote in the2009 Indian general election.[citation needed]The campaign was a non-partisan campaign initiated byAnal Saha.

United States[edit]

Main article:Nonpartisanism in the United States

HistorianSean Wilentzargues that from the days of George Washington's farewell address, to Senator Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic national convention in 2004, politicians have called upon Americans to move beyond parties. Wilentz calls this the post-partisan style, and argues that "the antiparty current is by definition antidemocratic, as political parties have been the only reliable electoral vehicles for advancing the ideas and interests of ordinary voters".[6]However, nonpartisan elections are quite common at the local level, primarily in an effort to keep national issues from being mixed up with local issues.[7]

Today, nonpartisan elections are generally held formunicipalandcountyoffices, especiallyschool board,and are also common in the election of judges. TheunicameralLegislatureofNebraskais the onlystatelegislature that is entirely officially nonpartisan; additionally, thebicameralFonoofAmerican Samoais the onlyterritoriallegislature that is officially nonpartisan.

Although elections may be officially nonpartisan, in some elections (usually involving larger cities or counties, as well as the Nebraska unicameral) the party affiliations of candidates are generally known, most commonly by the groups endorsing a particular candidate (e.g., a candidate endorsed by a labor union would be generally affiliated with the Democratic Party, while a candidate endorsed by a business coalition would be generally affiliated with the Republican Party).[8]

Churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations[edit]

Churches and charities in the United States are mainly formed under USInternal Revenue Servicetax code501(c)(3)non-profit organization regulations. To maintain thattax-exemptstatus, and the ability for donors to take a tax deduction, they are required to remain nonpartisan.[9]

This has caused some to question the ability of organizations that have the appearance of partisanship.

TheBrookings Institutionis a Washington, D.C.think tankand501(c)(3)non-profit, nonpartisan organization. Since its founding in 1916, it has had both identifiable Republicans and Democrats among its leadership. Owing to leadership changes such as this, some argue that it is a good example of a nonpartisan organization.The New York Timeshas at times listed the organization as beingliberal,liberal-centrist,centrist,andconservative.[10][11][12][13][14]In 2008,The New York Timespublished an article where it referred to the "conservative Brookings Institution".[10]

Nonpartisan League[edit]

In theProgressive Era,theNonpartisan Leaguewas an influentialsocialistpolitical movement, especially in the UpperMidwest,particularly during the 1910s and 1920s. It also contributed much to the ideology of the formerProgressive Party of Canada.It went into decline and merged with the Democratic Party of North Dakota to form theNorth Dakota Democratic–NPL Partyin 1956.

Milwaukee[edit]

In thehistory of Milwaukee,the "Nonpartisans" were an unofficial but widely recognized coalition ofRepublicansandDemocratswho cooperated in an effort to keep Milwaukee'sSewer Socialistsout of as many offices as possible, including in elections which were officially non-partisan, but in which Socialists and "Nonpartisans" were clearly identified in the press.[15](Such candidates were sometimes called "fusion" candidates.[16]) This lasted from the 1910s[17]well into the 1940s. (The similar effort in 1888 to preventHerman Kroeger's election as aUnion Laborcandidate had been conducted under the banner of a temporary "Citizen's Party" label.[18]) During the period of Socialist-Progressivecooperation (1935–1941), the two sides were called "Progressives" and "Nonpartisans".[19]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^TheMerriam-Webster'sdictionary definesnonpartisanas: Not partisan; free from party affiliation,bias,or designation."Webster: Nonpartisan".Archivedfrom the original on 24 April 2009.Retrieved13 August2009.
  2. ^Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd. ed, partisan
  3. ^"Cambridge Dictionary - nonpartisan".Archivedfrom the original on 3 May 2022.Retrieved11 June2017.
  4. ^"Macmillan Dictionary - nonpartisan".Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2017.Retrieved11 June2017.
  5. ^"American Heritage Dictionary - nonpartisan
    Collins English Dictionary - nonpartisan
    Websters College Dictionary - nonpartisan "    .Archivedfrom the original on 8 May 2022.Retrieved11 June2017.
  6. ^p. 28
  7. ^Sean Wilentz (2016).The Politicians and the Egalitarians: The Hidden History of American Politics.W. W. Norton. p. 45.ISBN9780393285017.Archivedfrom the original on 7 February 2023.Retrieved1 June2019.
  8. ^Steffen Schmidt (2007).American Government and Politics Today - Texas Edition, 2007-2008.Cengage Learning. p. 850.ISBN978-0495392026.Archivedfrom the original on 7 February 2023.Retrieved1 June2019.
  9. ^Eyes wide shut: The ambiguous "political activity" prohibition and its effects on 501(c)(3) organizations, Houston Business and Tax JournalArchived2 September 2017 at theWayback Machine,by Amelia Elacqua, 2008, pages 118, 119 and 141, referenced 16 February 2012
  10. ^abGlaberson, William (16 November 2008)."Closing Guantánamo may not be easy".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on 1 July 2017.Retrieved11 February2017.
  11. ^Next Generation of Conservatives (By the Dormful)Archived15 April 2015 at theWayback Machineby Jason DeParle,New York Times,14 June 2005
  12. ^Silicon Valley's New Think Tank Stakes Out 'Radical Center'Archived7 February 2023 at theWayback Machineby Neil A. Lewis,New York Times,15 May 1999
  13. ^ECONOMIC VIEW; Friedman And Keynes, Trading PedestalsArchived7 February 2023 at theWayback Machineby Tom Redburn,New York Times,24 September 2000
  14. ^Marshall A. Robinson, 83, Former Foundation Chief, DiesArchived18 October 2015 at theWayback Machineby Wolfgang Saxon,New York Times,13 January 2006
  15. ^"School Board Returns Even: Both Nonpartisans and Socialists Pick Five Candidates Each"Milwaukee Journal18 March 1931; p. 1, col. 7
  16. ^"Fusion In Many Districts; Old Parties Unite On Legislative Candidates"Milwaukee Journal1 November 1918; p. 9, col. 2
  17. ^Avella, Steven M.Milwaukee Catholicism: Essays on Church and CommunityMilwaukee: Milwaukee Knights of Columbus, 1991; pp. 43-44
  18. ^Wells, Robert W.This Is MilwaukeeNew York: Doubleday, 1970; p. 169
  19. ^Cibulka, James G. and Olson, Frederick I. "The Organization of the Milwaukee Public School System" inSeeds of Crisis: Public Schooling in Milwaukee since 1920Rury, John L. and Cassell, Frank A., eds. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1993; p. 104

Bibliography[edit]

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