Frequently Asked Questions
How to Write-In a Candidate
Writing in a candidate is a straight forward process. Find the empty line below any listed candidate, write in my name (JARED BUDLONG), fill in the circle on the left, keep moving down the ballot and vote for your other preferred candidates.
You can even write-in a candidate if you plan to use the "straight-party" option. Any write-in candidates you list will only override that race specifically.
Why run as an independent (unaffiliated)?
Transcript:
Why am I running as an independent?
First, the qualifying fee.
I didn't have enough time to make the qualifying fee when I decided to run, it is a 1/3 of the positions annual salary.
So, it was somewhere in the range of $2,000 to $3,000.
I would have to fill out a form and supply that to the Democratic Party in order to even run as a Democrat in the Primaries.
So that was the first part, the other part: I'm not a Democrat.
I'm not a Republican either; I'm also not a Libertarian.
I truly don't align with any of those parties.
So I'm not going to run under that moniker.
And then last, the most important piece: the people I'm trying to reach, the 1.4 Million who didn't vote in 2020, they don't align with those parties either.
Otherwise they'd be voting. I want to be your representative, your Governor and speak for the people who haven't been listened to and haven't been heard from.
So that's the long answer, I hope it helps.
How to help, before November 8th
Get registered to vote ASAP, before October 24th. The quickest and easiest option for almost everyone is to engage with and share the campaign with everyone you know. The hardest part of a write-in campaign is name recognition. We have to get everyone to know my name, how to spell it, and that I’m fighting for EVERY human to retain the right to live their life with dignity.
Above that, monetary contributions are the next level of support. This helps us pay for campaign expenses like yard signs, trips to cities to meet with residents, pay for monthly campaign services, etc. You can donate a single time, or set up a recurring donation, for any amount you are comfortable with and that your finances can handle. We also have canvassing supplies (yard signs, flyers, post cards, etc) and merch for sale.
That said, the entire campaign team understands that these are hard times and spare finances are not available to many. If you can not donate or purchase without risking your well-being, please don’t feel obligated to do so.
Lastly, the bigger ask and the one that will make this campaign successful: volunteering. Our campaign is quite literally for the people, by the people. I may be the face, nay - the beard, of this campaign but that is solely to give people something to vote for. I am here to fight for every resident of this state and in order for real change to happen, we have to work together, as a team. We are all working together to prioritize and tackle tasks we have the passion, skills, and/or both required to do that task as accurately and quickly as possible.
Volunteering is open to anyone in the US so long as they are passionate about helping society, every human, have better material conditions and keep their right to live a life of dignity.
Minimum Wage
Alabama has no state minimum wage law. Instead we rely on the federal minimum wage. I believe the minimum wage should be treated as it was originally intended by FDR: more than bare subsistence, as a means to provide for a decent living.
In order to be forward thinking, I would like to see an indexed wage that is based on the cost of living for your area (be that on a city or county level).
State Run Lottery
Every person who has asked me about implementing a state lottery has done so with the end goal of funding general welfare programs like education and healthcare.
I do not support a state run lottery for this purpose. The goal is to provide equitable access to healthcare and education which is going to benefit those that don't have access at this time: those in poverty.
Those in poverty spend a disproportionate amount of their income on the lottery, mostly in the hopes to get themselves out of poverty.
"We examine lottery sales data from 39 states over 10 years and find a strong and positive relationship between sales and poverty rates. In contrast, we find no relationship between movie ticket sales, another inexpensive form of entertainment, and poverty rates."
Hitting the Jackpot or Hitting the Skids
By GARRICK BLALOCK, DAVID R. JUST, and DANIEL H. SIMON
I plan put my effort toward creating sources of tax revenue that can both be used to help with general welfare and is tied to an immediate and/or tangible service or good in return.
Spread the Word: Order Yard Signs
One great way to help get my name as a write in candidate out to more people is to put up a yard sign. Since this is a grassroots campaign, funding is limited and we're asking anyone who can to order yard signs in batches of 16 to share amongst their community.