|
|
| |
|
|
October 30th, 2008
On October 30, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Jim Powell, Democratic nominee for one of the statewide Public Service Commissioner races, should remain on the ballot. The Secretary of State, a Republican, had asserted that he does not live in his district, because he has two homes and his homestead exemption was on the house not in the district. But the Court said there are other methods to determine residency.
Comments Off
October 30th, 2008
On October 30, the Albuquerque Weekly Alibi carried a column by a political analyst who says independent candidate Carol Miller may place second, ahead of the Republican nominee, in the race for U.S. House, 3rd district. The district is in the northern third of the state; the largest city in the district is Santa Fe. The district is strongly Democratic. Miller has been included in most of the debates and has been endorsed by the daily newspaper in Los Alamos. She is only the second independent candidate for U.S. House in New Mexico history.
New Mexico independent candidates are at a disadvantage because New Mexico has a straight ticket device. A “straight ticket device” enables voters to push one button that automatically casts a vote for all the nominees of one particular party. Voters who use the device often are not even aware of who they are voting for. Independent candidates are never given a device of their own, on the ballot; only parties get them.
October 30th, 2008
Daily Kos has a daily tracking poll. The October 30 results are here. For weeks now, Barr and Nader had each been at 2%. However, the October 30 results continue to show Barr at 2%, but Nader down to 1%.
October 30th, 2008
On October 28, the Federalist Society posting this on-line debate over the National Popular Vote Plan, between Tara Ross (who argues for the existing system) and Maryland State Senator Jaime Raskin (who supports the National Popular Vote Plan). Thanks to Rick Hasen’s ElectionLawBlog for the link. Ross and most other supporters of the Electoral College as it functions today usually express hostility toward minor parties and independent candidates, and this debate is no exception for her.
The irony is that Electoral College, as it functions today, actually helps minor party and independent presidential candidates. Voters nowadays are generally aware of whether their own state is considered a “swing state”, or whether it is hopelessly “safe” for one of the two major party nominees. These aware voters take that information into consideration when deciding whether to vote for a minor party or independent presidential candidate or not. For instance, on October 28, Noam Chomsky said that since he lives in Massachusetts, he will be voting for Ralph Nader. Chomsky recommended that other voters who live in “safe” states, and who favor single-payer medical insurance, should likewise vote for Nader. If we had a direct popular vote for president, Chomsky would presumably be voting for Obama.
October 30th, 2008
On October 23, the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division (3rd department) ruled that when voters own two homes, they are free to choose which one to use as their voting residence. Here is the decision, Willkie v Delaware County Board of Elections, no. 504004. Thank to Bill Van Allen for the link.
October 30th, 2008
On October 20, the Georgia Supreme Court heard Handel v Powell, in which the Republican Secretary of State argues that Democratic Public Service Commissioner candidate Jim Powell should be removed from the ballot. Ten days have passed and the Court hasn’t issued any order. Here is an article about the controversy.
Comments Off
October 29th, 2008
On October 29, U.S. District Court Judge Harvey Bartle, a Bush Sr. appointee, issued an injunction, requiring Pennsylvania to furnish emergency paper ballots to any precinct at which at least half the electronic vote-counting machines have broken down. NAACP v Cortes, 08-cv-5048.
The state’s position had been that it would only provide such paper ballots to precincts in which all the machines had ceased to work. The decision says, “Some waiting in line, of course, is inevitable and must be expected. One must always choose between and among a number of candidates for different offices listed on the ballot and often, as in this election, there are questions to be read and considered. All of this takes time. Nonetheless, there can come a point when the burden of standing in a queue ceases to be an inconvenience or annoyance and becomes a constitutional violation because it, in effect, denies a person the right to exercise his or her franchise.” Thanks to Rick Hasen’s ElectionLawBlog for this news.
October 29th, 2008
On October 30, Ralph Nader, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin will debate each other at the Cleveland (Ohio) City Club, between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm. The City Club is at 850 Euclid Ave, on the 2nd floor. All three participants have confirmed they will be there. Cynthia McKinney, Barack Obama, and John McCain are also invited.
October 29th, 2008
On October 29, the 6th circuit ruled that the U.S. Constitution prohibits Ohio from banning out-of-state circulators. Nader v Blackwell, 07-4350. Here is the decision. The vote is 3-0, although because of various peculiarities about procedures in this case, each judge wrote separately. Here is a Cincinnati newspaper story about the decision. Thanks to Carter Momberger for the link.
This case has its roots in the 2004 election, when Nader was prevented from being on the ballot because four of his most active circulators seemed not to be domiciled in Ohio. Therefore, all of their signatures had been stricken, and Nader fell below the 5,000 minimum. Technically, this case was filed in 2006, not in 2004, but for all practical purposes it should be considered a resolution of a conflict that began in 2004.
Although Brian Moore this year had won in U.S. District Court against Ohio’s residency requirement, that decision actually did not invalidate the ban on out-of-state circulators. The Ohio ban on out-of-state circulators for independent candidates is not stated explicitly in the law. Instead, the Ohio law requires circulators of independent petitions to be registered voters, and since one may not be a registered voter without being an Ohio resident, the twin requirements are linked in the law. Today’s decision explicitly says that even if Ohio were to amend its law and say that only residents may circulate, that would be as unconstitutional as saying only registered voters may circulate. The decision says on page 14, “No case has been put forward in this litigation as to a compelling state interest in permitting unregistered Ohioans to circulate petitions but not unregistered citizens of other states.” Thanks to Theresa Amato for this news.
October 29th, 2008
Late Tuesday night, Socialist Party presidential candidate Brian Moore was on the Stephen Colbert show. See this article (written before the interview) from Moore’s home town newspaper in Florida.
Here is the excerpt from Comedy Central:
|
|
|
Paper
Issues:
Blog Archives

Syndication

Subscribe to Ballot Access
News via PayPal. Subscriptions are $15 for 12 issues a year ($20 foreign). Additional
donations are welcome.
|
Search Ballot Access News
|
|
|
Access to
this site is free. Your donations support this site and the
activities of Richard Winger in lobbying for free and open elections.
To
subscribe via mail, click here and
print out the form to mail. 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.
|
|
Issues
available: |
|
2012:
|
2011:
|
|
2010:
|
2009:
|
|
2008:
|
2007:
|
|
2006:
|
2005:
|
|
2004:
|
2003:
|
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)
|
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)
|
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)
|
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)
|
1995:
|
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)
|
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)
|
|
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)
|
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)
|
|
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)
|
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)
|
|
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)
|
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)
|
| |
|
|
|
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. |
| |
|
|