A Wyoming-based federal judge has dismissed the lawsuit of a would-be Cheyenne AI political candidate’s human avatar, saying the human’s complaints don’t fit the federal laws he invoked.
Victor Miller, who tried to run for U.S. Senate as “Victor” and pledged to yield decision-making to an artificial intelligence system if elected, can still try to pursue seven of his 11 claims in state court if he wishes, U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson ruled.
But since Miller’s four federal claims aren’t viable, Johnson won’t hear the case, the order says.
Secretary of State Chuck Gray, who was sued as the official administrator of state election laws, celebrated Johnson’s dismissal in a Tuesday statement.
“I applaud Judge Johnson’s ruling dismissing Victor Miller’s lawsuit,” said Gray. "Both federal and state law are clear: to be a candidate for office, you must be a human being, NOT an AI bot. Listing ‘VIC,’ ‘Victor,’ or any other pseudo name on the application does not comply with Wyoming law.
"I won’t tolerate a mockery of our electoral system. We demanded Miller’s application be resubmitted to clarify that he is a human being, which he failed to do. Our office is committed to upholding the law.”
New Ground
The question of whether a candidate can be barred from ballot access over pledging his future choices to AI remains unanswered, however.
Johnson’s dismissal revolved around whether Miller was denied freedom of speech when Gray’s office wouldn’t let him onto the ballot under just his first name; whether Gray’s office specially discriminated against Miller because of his plan; whether Gray’s office deprived Miller of due process; and whether Gray’s office was heavy-handed with election law.
Miller, who lives in Cheyenne, tried to register to appear on the primary election ballot in the U.S. Senate race in May under his first name only, but the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office denied his registration and told him to verify that he’s a person and a qualified elector.
Miller alleged in his lawsuit that this unique demand to verify that he’s a person was discriminatory.
Johnson’s Sept. 29 order dismissing this case from federal court doesn’t mention artificial intelligence, or whether a candidate can be kept from the ballot for pledging to use it.
On Road To ‘Post-American Dystopia'
Miller told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday that the case might have gotten further if he hadn’t been stubborn about using just his first name on the ballot.
He maintains that AI is replacing politicians.
“If I would have put ‘Victor Miller’ on the ballot, I would have been on the ballot,” said Miller. “And the meat avatar (AI politician) system is bulletproof.
“There’s zero chance that any secretary of state or anyone on earth can keep an American off the ballot for saying things about the way they’re going to vote in the future.”
He added, “If that ever happens, we don’t even have a representative democracy anymore, and we’re in some kind of post-American dystopia.”
Gray kept Miller off the ballot, the latter conceded.
“But the only way that happened was because I was stubborn and wanted to fight him over the name issue, which I think he’s wrong about,” Miller said.
Meanwhile, the primary election for U.S. Senate elapsed two months ago. Rep. Harriet Hageman won the nomination Aug. 18, and now faces Democrat Jim Byrd going into the Nov. 3 general election.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
