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2008
PETITIONING FOR PRESIDENT
(updated
September 7, 2008)
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TOTAL
STATES ON THE BALLOT
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Libertarian
Party
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Green
Party
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Constitution
Party
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Nader
(Indep.)
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42
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32
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33
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39
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March 26th, 2008
On March 25, the Hawaii House Judiciary Committee passed the National Popular Vote Plan bill by 12-2. It is SB 2898. It passed the Senate last month. It now goes to the House.
Although the Hawaii legislature passed the National Popular Vote Plan bill in 2007, Governor Linda Lingle vetoed it. However, her veto would have been overridden except that some representatives had gone home early (since the legislature was in the process of adjourning), before voting on the veto override. This year, it is somewhat likely that Governor Lingle will veto it again, and that her veto will then be overridden.
March 25th, 2008
On March 17, two bills were introduced in the Idaho Senate to revise the primary system. Idaho now uses an Open Primary, in which each voter on primary day decides in the secrecy of the voting booth which party primary to vote in.
S. 1506 would provide for registration by party, and also would legalize nominating conventions for parties that would rather use conventions than primaries (Idaho already has conventions for new parties).
S. 1507 would authorize closed primaries. Neither bill has made any headway as of March 25.
March 25th, 2008
Last week, filing closed for Idaho primaries. One of the candidates who filed in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate is Marvin Richardson, who legally changed his name last year to “Pro-Life.” The Secretary of State accepted his filing, saying since “Pro-Life” is the new legal name of the candidate, he has no choice but to list him.
However, on March 24, S. 1514 was introduced in the Idaho Senate, saying if a candidate changes his name so that the new name seems intended to convey a political message, then the candidate must have in parentheses after his name, “A person formerly known as (blank)”. The bill passed the Senate unanimously on the same day it was introduced, and if it is signed into law, takes effect immediately. The Idaho primary is in May.
March 25th, 2008
On March 25, former Alaska U.S. Senator Mike Gravel joined the Libertarian Party. He currently lives in Virginia, which does not have registration by party. Gravel joined the party by becoming a dues-paying member. Thanks to ThirdPartyWatch for this news.
March 25th, 2008
On March 25, the Constitution Party turned in 1,252 signatures for its Hawaii party petition. The requirement is 663 signatures.
The deadline is April 3.
Other parties that are circulating the party petition in Hawaii are the Green Party, and Ralph Nader’s Independent Party. The Libertarian Party does not need to petition this year in Hawaii. After a party has been on the ballot three elections in a row, it is automatically on for the next ten years. The Libertarian Party is enjoying its ten free years.
March 25th, 2008
March 25 is the deadline for a new or previously unqualified party to submit its petition in South Dakota. For the first time since before 1992, the Libertarian Party failed to qualify.
The party has several options. In 1977 the 8th circuit ruled in MacBride v Exon that it would be unconstitutional for any state to require a new or previously unqualified party to submit its petition in time to participate in its own primary, if all it wants to do is list its presidential nominee with the party label on the November ballot.
South Dakota previously let independent candidates choose a partisan label, but the legislature repealed that in 2007. Therefore, if the Libertarian Party can finish its party petition and submit it somewhat later (for example, June 2008), it would stand an excellent chance of winning a lawsuit against the March 25 deadline for party petitions.
Also, the party is free to do an independent presidential petition, but that cannot start until after the party has chosen its nominee in late May, since South Dakota doesn’t permit stand-in presidential candidates on independent petitions. The independent petition requires 3,356 signatures, due in August.
March 25th, 2008
The Burlington Free Press of March 25 editorializes against against SB 108, which implements Instant-Runoff Voting for both Houses of Congress. See the editorial here.
The editorial pokes fun at the bill because it only applies to congressional races. The editorial points out that it is rare for anyone to fail to get a majority for Congress in Vermont anyway. Of course, the reason the bill is limited to Congress is (1) it is easier to implement something new if it is limited; (2) changing to IRV for statewide state office would probably require changing the Vermont Constitution. The editorial doesn’t mention either of these points.
March 25th, 2008
On March 20, Maine LD 1799 passed the Joint Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee. The bill legalizes fusion.
March 24th, 2008
On March 24, the Democratic National Committee voted to approve Puerto Rico’s Democratic presidential primary, which will be held June 1, a Sunday. Puerto Rico has used caucuses for the last 20 years, but Puerto Rico Democrats felt that this year’s Democratic contest is of such intense interest, the normal caucus procedure would not work well. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news.
March 24th, 2008
On the afternoon of March 24, the U.S. Supreme Court heard Riley v Kennedy, a case that interprets the federal Voting Rights Act. Here is an AP story about how the argument went.
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Welcome
to the OFFICIAL online home of Ballot Access News,
a non-partisan newsletter reporting on the trials and tribulations
of folks trying to put candidates on the ballot in the United
States of America. There are many surprisingly restrictive
ballot access laws in this country, which the average voter
has no knowledge or conception of; part of our purpose here
(besides reporting on progress made) is to report on these
restrictive ballot access laws so that more people are aware
of them. I hope you find these materials interesting and exciting;
if you do, you can support the newsletter by subscribing!
Ballot
Access News is edited and published by Richard Winger,
the nation's leading expert on ballot access legal issues.
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Issues
available: |
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2008:
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2007:
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2006:
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2005:
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2004:
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2003:
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2002:
- December
2002 Issue
(V:18– N:8)
- November
2002 Issue
(V:18– N:7)
- October
1, 2002 Issue (V:18 – N:6)
- September
1, 2002 Issue
(V:18 – N:5)
- August
1, 2002 issue (V:18 – N:4)
- July
1, 2002 issue (V:18 – N:3)
- June
1, 2002 issue (V:18 – N:2)
- May
1, 2002 issue (V:18 – N:1)
- April
1, 2002 issue (V:17 – N:13)
- March
1, 2002 issue (V:17 – N:12)
- February
1, 2002 issue (V:17 – N:11)
- January
1, 2002 issue (V:17 – N:10)
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2001:
- December
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:9)
- November
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:8)
- October
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:7)
- September
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:6)
- August
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:5)
- July
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:4)
- June
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:3)
- May
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:2)
- April
1, 2001 issue (V:17 – N:1)
- March
1, 2001 issue (V:16 – N:12)
- February
1, 2001 issue (V:16 – N:11)
- January
1, 2001 issue (V:16 – N:10)
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2000:
- December
5, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:9)
- November
16, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:8)
- October
1, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:7)
- September
1, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:6)
- August
1, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:5)
- July
1, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:4)
- June
1, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:3)
- May
1, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:2)
- April
1, 2000 issue (V:16 – N:1)
- March
1, 2000 issue (V:15 – N:12)
- February
1, 2000 issue (V:15 – N:11)
- January
1, 2000 issue (V:15 – N:10)
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1999:
- December
1, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:9)
- November
1, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:8)
- October
1, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:7)
- September
1, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:6)
- August
3, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:5)
- July
3, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:4)
- June
1, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:3)
- May
3, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:2)
- April
3, 1999 issue (V:15 – N:1)
- March
6, 1999 issue (V:14 – N:12)
- February
6, 1999 issue (V:14 – N:11)
- January
6, 1999 issue (V:14 – N:10)
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1998:
- December
8, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:9)
- November
8, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:8)
- October
4, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:7)
- September
4, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:6)
- August
3, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:5)
- July
3, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:4)
- June
3, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:3)
- May
7, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:2)
- April
5, 1998 issue (V:14 – N:1)
- March
8, 1998 issue (V:13 – N:12)
- February
8, 1998 issue (V:13 – N:11)
- January
5, 1998 issue (V:13 – N:10)
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1997:
- December
5, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:9)
- November
1, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:8)
- October
6, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:7)
- September
6, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:6)
- August
4, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:5)
- July
2, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:4)
BAN.
changed to a 12 issue per year schedule.
- June
2, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:3)
- May
5, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:2)
- April
7, 1997 issue (V:13 – N:1)
- March
10, 1997 issue (V:12 – N:13)
- February
10, 1997 issue (V:12 – N:12)
- January
12, 1997 issue (V:12 – N:11)
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1996:
- December
12, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:10)
- November
12, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:9)
- October
12, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:8)
- September
9, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:7)
- August
12, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:6)
- July
20, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:5)
- June
26, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:4)
- May
28, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:3)
- May
3, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:2)
- April
3, 1996 issue (V:12 – N:1)
- March
6, 1996 issue (V:11 – N:13)
- February
7, 1996 issue (V:11 – N:12)
- January
14, 1996 issue (V:11 – N:11)
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1995:
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1994:
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1993:
- 1993 Issues
not yet available online
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Additional
articles/essays:
- Politics,
Soviet-style by S. Philip Gordon, regarding recent ballot
access issues in Georgia – the US state, not the Russian
territority!
Extra
Features:
Other
information:
- Here's how to subscribe
to Ballot Access News!
- Here's information
on Presidential Ballot Access as well as the
vote totals of recent Presidential elections.
- Here are some other
sites which may also be of interest:
Project
Vote-Smart
-
Project Vote
Smart is a citizens' organization dedicated to serving all Americans
with accurate and unbiased information for electoral decision-making.
It was inaugerated in 1992 by former US Presidents Jimmy Carter,
Gerald Ford, and other leaders. Its webpage offers information
about all ballot-listed candidates for all federal and state office.
[Added:040729]
- The
ACE Project
- An interesting
site concerning itself with the "Administration and Cost of Elections",
including issues of fairness and regulatory approaches in various
countries. They seem to be almost blind to the ways that third parties
in the USA are harmed by campaign finance rules crafted for the
problems characteristic of the larger parties, or the ways that
third parties would be disenfranchised by various proposed rules,
but this is nevertheless a useful resource, particularly for the
international comparisons it makes.
[Added:001206]
- "Unofficial"
B.A.N. Page
-
At first,
it looks like there's not much here. But then you follow the "Charts"
link, and click on one of the listed candidates, and you'll get
some truly wonderful nationwide maps of voting patterns.
[Checked:991014]
- ThirdPartyNews.net
-
A site that
covers news about minor parties.
[Checked:060414]
- Third
Party Central
-
Collects lots
of good information and links relating to various third parties
into one convenient location. Nice set of writings on why one
should vote third-party.
[Checked:991014]
- Atlas
of U.S. Presidential Elections
-
A surprisingly
complete listing of votes cast in Presidential elections, including
numerous third-party candidates and nice maps of vote distribution
by state and (on the individual state pages) by county.
[New-URL:010309]
- D.C.'s
Political Report
-
Very good
presentation of candidate and party information, including virtually
every known third-party group in the USA. Election results, candidate
information, etc.
[Updated:991214]
- Initiative
For Texas
-
A group trying
to establish the right to Initiative and Referendum in Texas.
Their work has intriguing parallels and overlaps with ballot access
work. Every page at the site seems to have some music on it, which
can get annoying after awhile, but otherwise it's an interesting
site.
[Checked:991014]
- Center
for Voting and Democracy
-
Folks concerned
with alternative voting systems, and related issues, from a moderately
leftist perspective. Useful articles describing how better systems
of voting and electing actually work.
[Added:000823]
The newsletter
is published by and copyright by Richard
Winger. |
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