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April 24th, 2008
The Illinois House Local Government will hold a hearing on HB 5263 on Tuesday, April 29, at 1 p.m., in room 409 of the Capitol. HB 5263 makes it more difficult for ballot-qualified parties to nominate candidates. Current law says that if a ballot-qualified party doesn’t nominate someone for a particular office at its own primary, party leaders can still choose a nominee afterwards. This bill says that if the post-primary nomination procedure is used, the candidate still can’t be considered nominated unless he or she submits a petition of 5% of the last vote cast.
The Green Party is the only ballot-qualified party statewide in Illinois currently, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties. This year, the Green Party nominated more people by post-primary meeting, than by the primary itself. Ballot access for candidates to get on a primary ballot itself requires a burdensome petition, so losing the ability to make post-primary nominations will be injurious.
April 23rd, 2008
The Constitution Party national convention in Kansas City will actually vote for a presidential nominee on Saturday, April 26, starting at 8 a.m. Nominating speeches will have been made the preceding day. There will probably be a strong vote for Alan Keyes, a strong vote for Chuck Baldwin, and a strong vote for drafting Ron Paul. Thanks to Glenn Brown for the details about the schedule.
April 23rd, 2008
Tacoma, Washington’s daily newspaper, the News Tribune, has this interesting story about labels on this year’s primary and election. The article discusses the possibility that some candidates may try labels such as “Endorsed GOP”, or other innovative “preferences” that try to suggest the candidate is endorsed by a particular party.
The article is slightly misleading when it says the US Supreme Court says “top-two” may be constitutional. The Court only said “top-two” may be constitutional, relative to the Political Party Freedom of Association argument. Other legal arguments against “top-two” were not evaluated by either the U.S. Supreme Court, or the lower courts, such as the argument that the system is unconstitutional for congressional elections under the ballot access precedents. Thanks to Steve Rankin for the link.
April 23rd, 2008
Although the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion on April 23 in a non-election law case, it did not issue the Indiana photo voter ID decision. The next possible date for that decision is April 28, Monday. The Court will be sitting in April, May and June for the sole purpose of issuing decisions; the oral arguments for this session will be over by noon on Wednesday, April 23.
Comments Off
April 23rd, 2008
On April 22, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle, a Republican, again vetoed the National Popular Vote bill. This year’s bill is SB 2898. Now the legislature has one week to decide whether to override it.
April 22nd, 2008
On April 22, Mississippi held an election to fill a vacancy in the U.S. House, First district. Mississippi special elections do not provide for a party nomination process, so two Republicans and two Democrats were on the ballot, along with an independent and a Green.
The results: Travis Childers, Dem., 49.41%; Greg Davis, Rep., 46.32%; Glen McCullough, Rep., 1.43%; Steve Holland, Dem., 1.17%; Wally Pang, Independent, 1.08%; John Wages, Green, .59%. Since no one got 50%, there will be a runoff on May 13. This was the first time a Green Party member had ever run for Congress from Mississippi.
When the First District voted in November 2006, the results had been: Republican 65.92%; Democratic 34.08%. The First District is in the northeast corner of Mississippi, and had been represented by a Republican in all elections starting in 1994.
April 22nd, 2008
Here is a link to CNN election night returns for Pennsylvania primaries.
Although the media is only concentrating on the Democratic primary, the Republican primary is also interesting. With 90% of the vote counted, the Republican percentages are: McCain 73%, Paul 16%, Huckabee 11%.
Comments Off
April 22nd, 2008
Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle must either sign or veto SB 2898 by late Tuesday evening (April 22). As of 1:30 pm Hawaii time, her office says she is still considering it. If she vetoes it, the legislature is likely to override her veto, since the bill passed by overwhelming majorities in both chambers. The legislature would have time to override her veto since it doesn’t adjourn until May 1. SB 2898 is the National Popular Vote Plan bill.
April 22nd, 2008
About six months ago, a Green Party web page devoted specifically to persuading voters to register “Green” was put up. It is http://switch2green.org. The site makes a partisan pitch that if the reader is unhappy with Democratic inaction in Congress on certain hot issues, then the reader should change registration.
Comments Off
April 22nd, 2008
Here is an article briefly describing the U.S. Supreme Court oral argument in Davis v Federal Election Commission. The article says both sides had holes poked in their arguments, and says it is very difficult to predict which way this case will go. Check back here later in the day for a link to the transcript.
UPDATE: Here is a somewhat more comprehensive AP story. SECOND UPDATE: see here for Election Law Professor Rick Hasen’s analysis of the oral argument. His blog also has a link to the transcript.
The case challenges part of the McCain-Feingold law. That part of the law relaxes contribution limits when one of the candidates for Congress spends more than $350,000 on his or her own campaign. Davis argues that since the government had earlier insisted that strict contribution limits are necessary to prevent corruption or the appearance of corruption, the whole rationale for relaxing contribution limits in certain situations doesn’t make sense.
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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
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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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2012:
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2011:
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2010:
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2009:
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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)
|
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)
|
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)
|
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:
- December
15, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:10)
- November
15, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:9)
- October
18 1994 issue (V:10 – N:8)
- September
20, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:7)
- August
23, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:6)
- July
26, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:5)
- June
28, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:4)
- May
31, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:3)
- May
3, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:2)
- April
5, 1994 issue (V:10 – N:1)
- March
8, 1994 issue (V:9 – N:13)
- February
8, 1994 issue
(V:9 – N:12)
- January
11, 1994
issue (V:9 – N:11)
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1993:
- December
12, 1993 (V:9 – N:10)
- November
14, 1993 (V:9 – N:9)
- October
17, 1993 (V:9 – N:8)
- September
19, 1993 (V:9 – N:7)
- August
22, 1993 (V:9 – N:6)
- July
25, 1993 (V:9 – N:5)
- June
27, 1993
(V:9 – N:4)
- May
30, 1993 (V:9 – N:3)
- May
3, 1993 (V:9 – N:2)
- April
5, 1993 (V:9 – N:1)
- March
8, 1993 (V:8 – N:13)
- February
8, 1993 (V:8 – N:12)
- January
8, 1993 (V:8 – N:11)
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1992:
- December
10, 1992
(V:8 – N:10)
- November
6, 1992 (V:8 – N:9)
- October
5, 1992
(V:8 – N:8)
- September
9, 1992 (V:8 – N:7)
- August
13, 1992
(V:8 – N:6)
- July
17, 1992
(V:8 – N:5)
- June
15, 1992 (V:8 – N:4)
- May
24, 1992
(V:8 – N:3)
- April
27, 1992 (V:8 – N:2)
- March
30, 1992
(V:8 – N:1)
- March
1, 1992
(V:7 – N:13)
- February
2, 1992
(V:7 – N:12)
- January
2, 1992 (V:7 – N:11)
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1991:
- December
9, 1991
(V:7 – N:10)
- November
11, 1991 (V:7 – N:9)
- October
14, 1991 (V:7 – N:8)
- September
16, 1991 (V:7 – N:7)
- August
19, 1991 (V:7 – N:6)
- July
22, 1991 (V:7 – N:5)
- June
24, 1991 (V:7 – N:4)
- May
30, 1991 (V:7 – N:3)
- May
1, 1991 (V:7 – N:2)
- April
3, 1991 (V:7 – N:1)
- March
7, 1991 (V:6 – N:12)
- February
9, 1991 (V:6 – N:11)
- January
14, 1991 (V:6 – N:10)
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1990:
- December
14, 1990 (V:6 – N:9)
- November
12, 1990 (V:6 – N:8)
- October
9, 1990 (V:6 – N:7)
- September
11, 1990
(V:6 – N:6)
- August
14, 1990
(V:6 – N:5)
- July
18, 1990 (V:6 – N:4)
- June
26, 1990
(V:6 – N:3)
- May
24, 1990 (V:6 – N:2)
- April
28, 1990
(V:6 – N:1)
- April
2, 1990
(V:5 – N:12)
- March
12, 1990 (V:5 – N:11)
- February
12, 1990 (V:5 – N:10)
- January
23, 1990 (V:5 – N:9)
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1989:
- December
24, 1989 (V:5 – N:8)
- November
27, 1989 (V:5 – N:7)
- October
30, 1989 (V:5 – N:6)
- September
26, 1989 (V:5 – N:5)
- September
5, 1989 (V:5 – N:4)
- August
4, 1989 (V:5 – N:3)
- July
7, 1989 (V:5 – N:2)
- June
9, 1989 (V:5 – N:1)
- May
12, 1989 (V:4 – N:12)
- April
14, 1989 (V:4 – N:11)
- March
22, 1989 (V:4 – N:10)
- February
27, 1989 (V:4 – N:9)
- February
1, 1989 (V:4 – N:8)
- January
1, 1989 (V:4 – N:7)
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1988:
- November
1, 1988 (V:4 – N:6)
- October
12, 1988 (V:4 – N:5)
- September
16, 1988 (V:4 – N:4)
- August
27, 1988 (V:4 – N:3)
- August
1, 1988 (V:4 – N:2)
- July
8, 1988 (V:4 – N:1)
- June
15, 1988 (V:3– N:12)
- May
23, 1988 (V:3– N:11)
- April
19, 1988 (V:3– N:10)
- March
23, 1988 (V:3– N:9)
- February
24, 1988 (V:3– N:8)
- January
20, 1988 (V:3– N:7)
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1987:
- December
23, 1987 (V:3– N:6)
- November
19, 1987 (V:3– N:5)
- October
19, 1987 (V:3– N:4)
- September
21, 1987 (V:3– N:3)
- August
20, 1987 (V:3– N:2)
- July
14, 1987 (V:3– N:1)
- June
13, 1987 (V:2– N:12)
- May
18, 1987 (V:2– N:11)
- April
20, 1987 (V:2– N:10)
- March
13, 1987 (V:2– N:9)
- February
21, 1987 (V:2– N:8)
- January
21, 1987 (V:2– N:7)
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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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