Comments on: Pennsylvania Ballot Access Reform Bill Introduced

By: Ron Paul

Ron Paul — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:12:45 +0000

Get the word out!

By: Edward Brown

Edward Brown — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:44:24 +0000

2,000 is better then that is now.

But be warned! Minnesota requires roughly that amount for a non-major party candidate, and then sometime in the 1960s or 1970s shorten the time period it would be circulated to two weeks in the summer.

By: Peter M.

Peter M. — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:06:40 +0000

I think it makes sense to have the option of either obtaining signatures or paying a filing fee, but having ballot access based entirely on money though could be a dangerous thing, IMO.

By: Michael Seebeck

Michael Seebeck — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:11:03 +0000

Major improvement there. Hope it passes.

Be even nicer if party candidate signatures were removed entirely in lieu of a filing fee and/or nomination at convention or primary.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:28:57 +0000

Thanks for the info, Brian. Points out the hypocrisy of the major parties, doesn’t it? Thanks are due to Sen. Folmer, and John Murphy and the Ballot Access Coalition.

By: Trent Hill

Trent Hill — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:00:07 +0000

Senator Folmer also endorsed Ron Paul–I remember his name.

By: Ross Levin

Ross Levin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:43:58 +0000

BAN readers should know that John Murphy, a candidate for Congress in PA’s 16th, played a part in getting this bill to the floor. He is part of PA’s Ballot Access Coalition, located at http://www.paballotaccess.org.

By: Mike Gillis

Mike Gillis — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:36:55 +0000

2,000 sigs is just EXCELLENT.

What are the odds of this passing?

By: Curt Boyd

Curt Boyd — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:32:16 +0000

That’s why few Independent & Third Party candidates make the ballot in non-Presidential election years…that and the major parties get them off the ballot! (Romanelli in ’06)

By: Brian B

Brian B — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:19:49 +0000

Right now, R’s and D’s need 2,000 signatures for statewide offices. Any other party or an independent needs to collect signatures equal to 2% of the highest total number of votes cast for an office in the previous state-wide election. For 2008, a statewide candidate would need to collect nearly 25,000 valid signatures to be eligible. In 2006, parties needed to collect 67,000 because of the huge turn-out of the 2004 presidential election.

More info is here: http://www.paballotaccess.org/