The progressive organization MoveOn is asking secretaries of state across the country to investigate No Labels, a group pushing for a third-party presidential candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are writing to inform you about our grave concern about the activities of a political organization called \u2018No Labels\u2019 that may be operating in your state and has been flagged by another state election official for potentially misleading voters,\u201d wrote MoveOn Political Action\u2019s executive director, Rahna Epting, in a letter<\/a> to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias (D), as shared with The Hill. The Messenger first reported the story.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The letter asks the secretary to \u201cinvestigate the work and practices of No Labels\u2019 staff and canvassers, as they may be actively working to get on the ballot in your state\u201d and to \u201censure that No Labels\u2019 electoral activity in your state is legal and above board.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) alerted voters<\/a> in her state back in May that some \u201cmay be unaware that they have enrolled in the No Labels Party, which is seeking party status in Maine.\u201d She said voters were told they were signing a petition, rather than a registration form that would change their party affiliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bellows sent a letter<\/a> to No Labels\u2019s director of ballot access to raise \u201cserious concerns<\/a>\u201d about the campaign\u2019s apparent conduct \u201cto enroll Maine voters in the No Labels Party for purposes of qualifying that party for the 2024 election.\u201d New parties need 5,000 enrolled voters to get ballot access for 2024 primaries in Maine, according to the secretary\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Registering as a member of the No Labels party would prohibit voters from participating in Republican or Democratic primaries in the state. No Labels is a bipartisan group that has been looking to run a \u201cunity ticket\u201d in the 2024 presidential election, which would include a Republican and a Democrat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want to ensure these same practices cited in the Maine secretary of state\u2019s letter are not happening in your state,\u201d MoveOn said in its letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No Labels has reportedly already snagged a spot<\/a> on the ballot in Arizona, Alaska, Colorado and Oregon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many on the left have raised concerns that third-party candidate could pull<\/a> President Biden\u2002<\/a>down in his reelection bid if he goes against the current Republican front-runner, former President Trump. No Labels has promised<\/a> to end its efforts if polling shows Biden \u201cway, way out ahead\u201d against Trump next spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No Labels\u2019 chief strategist, Ryan Clancy, said in response to the letter that \u201cIn every state where No Labels is active, we are crystal clear about what we are doing and why. We are offering Americans a choice they so obviously want in 2024 and we are following both the letter and spirit of all applicable election laws,\u201d per a statement published in The Messenger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n