 Ackerman contributed the initial $5 million seed money to Americans Elect, a 2012 third-party Presidential nomination initiative, and serves as chairman of its board of directors.Ackerman's son, Elliot, serves as Chief Operating Officer of Americans Elect.On May 17, 2012 Americans Elect, unable to mount a successful primary ballot, announced that "The primary process for the Americans Elect nomination has come to an end."