Minnesota Bill for a Presidential Primary
January 19th, 2009Minnesota is one of ten states that didn’t hold a presidential primary in 2008. Representative Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul) has introduced HF 31 to provide for a presidential primary in the future.
The primary would be the first Tuesday in February. Candidates would qualify either by paying $500, or by submitting signatures of 1,000 from each of the state’s eight U.S. House districts. Six weeks would be allowed for collecting the 8,000 signatures. They would be due 70 days before the primary, i.e., late November of the year before the election.
January 20th, 2009 at 5:04 am
Why would anyone bother collecting 8000 signatures when $500 will do the job?
January 21st, 2009 at 8:41 am
Somewhere between keeping the system open and filling the ballot with nuisance candidates is above $500. People will pay $500 to get their name in the paper. Collecting 1,000 signatures from each congressional district would cost a campaign enough that no one would even consider it. Make is $5,000 or 5,000 signatures.
January 21st, 2009 at 8:50 am
The requirement to find support in each congressional district is good, though. If the number of signatures is lowered, keep the geographic distribution requirement.
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Make it $5,000 but fully refundable upon getting at least 2% of the vote.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:22 am
I like this theme you are using… what is it?