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Free and Equal Inc.

Website:

freeandequalinc.org/
Location:

Chicago, IL
Type:

Election Administration Group
Formation:

1998
Executive Director:

Christina Tobin

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Free and Equal, Inc. is an electoral petitioning, signature gathering, and signature-challenge-defense organization. 1 Founded in 1998 by Free and Equal Elections Foundation co-founder Christina Tobin, the organization has supported efforts from Constitution Party, Democratic Party, Green Party of the United States, Libertarian Party, and Republican Party candidates seeking ballot access. 2 3

History and Leadership

Free and Equal, Inc.  was founded by Christina Tobin 1998. 4 5 Christina Tobin is the president and CEO of Free and Equal Inc. 4 Tobin began her career in ballot access, signature defense, and petition drive coordination in 1998. In 2008, she was the national ballot access coordinator for Ralph Nader’s independent presidential campaign, where she coordinated the collection of more than 500,000 signatures across 46 different election jurisdictions. She has gathered signatures and defended signatures for candidates from the Constitution Party, Democratic Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, Republican Party, and independent candidates throughout her career. 4 6 7 Previously, she was a vice president of Taxpayers United for America. 8

Free and Equal, Inc. is based in Chicago, Illinois. 9

Activities and Funding

Free and Equal, Inc. is a full-service electoral petitioning and signature gathering organization. The firm has more than 20 years of professional experience working in ballot access signature verification and signature challenge defense. To combat challenges, Free and Equal, Inc. aims for 100 percent signature verification throughout its canvassing efforts. 1

Since its founding, Free and Equal, Inc. has worked on petitioning efforts at the state level, primarily in New York, Texas, and Illinois. It has also supported signature challenge defense for individuals from the Democratic Party, Green Party of the United States, and Republican Party while receiving additional support from senior officials in the Green Party and Libertarian Party. 1

Free and Equal Inc.’s Facebook page suggested that former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and former 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidate Marianne Williamson would be strong candidates to run as independent presidential candidates in the 2024 presidential election. 10 The group’s Facebook page also shared posts of individuals handing in 2016 Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s ballot signature petitions 11 and photographs of checks it received in support of getting former New Mexico Governor and Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson on the presidential ballot in 2016. 3

In 2016, Free and Equal Inc. supported the national Libertarian Party in its efforts to get on the ballot in two states. It also supported efforts by the Green Party of the United States to get on the ballot in six states. In 2018, the organization helped the Green Party of Texas collect 93,000 signatures to gain ballot access in Texas. 1

In 1998, Free and Equal, Inc. gathered signatures for Libertarian Party gubernatorial candidate Jim Tobin in the Illinois gubernatorial election. The organization gathered 50,000 signatures in support of the Libertarian Party nominees for Illinois governor in 2002. 2 The organization supported ballot access campaigns for Ralph Nader’s 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns 1 and has coordinated national ballot access campaigns for the Constitution Party of the United States. 1

References

  1. “Home.” Free and Equal Inc. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://freeandequalinc.org/.
  2. “Accomplishments.” Free and Equal Inc. Accessed July 21, 2024. https://freeandequalinc.org/.
  3. “Facebook Post.” Free and Equal, Inc. Facebook Page. Posted August 8, 2016. Accessed July 21, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10157194251765545&set=pb.100066679011662.-2207520000.
  4. “Christina Tobin.” Free and Equal Elections Foundation. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://freeandequal.org/team-member/christina-tobin-founder/.
  5. “Christina Tobin.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed July 21, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinatobin/.
  6. “Christina Tobin.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinatobin/.
  7. “Christina Tobin.” Politicon. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://www.politicon.com/speaker/christina-tobin/.
  8. “The Ray Hanania Radio Show featuring Christina Tobin.” Taxpayers United for America. Accessed July 21, 2024. https://www.taxpayersunitedofamerica.org/wsbc-1240-am-the-ray-hanania-radio-show-featuring-christina-tobin/.
  9. Whittaker, Richard. “Republicans Go Green.” The Austin Chronicle. June 11, 2010. Acessed July 21, 2024. https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2010-06-11/1039738/.
  10.  “Facebook Post.” Free and Equal Inc. Facebook Page. Posted September 9, 2020. Accessed July 21, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10162133844275545&set=pb.100066679011662.-2207520000.
  11. “Facebook Post.” Free and Equal, Inc. Facebook Page. Posted August 12, 2016. Accessed July 21, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10157212549700545&set=pb.100066679011662.-2207520000.
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Free and Equal Inc.


Chicago, IL