West Virginia Ballot Access Bill Passes
April 12th, 2009On April 11, the West Virginia Senate passed HB 2981, the bill to improve ballot access. It had already passed the House. The bill lowers the petition from 2% of the last vote cast, to 1%. It also moves the non-presidential petition deadline from May to August, so that it now matches the presidential petition deadline. Passage of this bill is certainly the most significant ballot access legislation that has passed any state legislature this year.
Assuming the bill is signed into law, the only states that will have no procedure for a minor party or independent presidential candidate to get on the ballot, that is at or below 2% of last vote cast in a midterm year, will be North Carolina and Oklahoma.
April 12th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Alabama’s procedure is 3% of the Gubernatorial election from 2006 – which is higher than 2%; although a bill was introduced to lower it to 1.5%
April 12th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Now the LPWV is ready to roll on ballot petitioning. We’re currently fundraising to begin our drives for 2010 and 2012 candidates. Please consider supporting the LPWV. Thanks!
April 12th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Darryl,
But we have the 5000 signature independent candidate procedure.
April 12th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
“paul Says:
April 12th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Darryl,
But we have the 5000 signature independent candidate procedure.”
Which only applies to Presidentical candidates in Alabama.
April 13th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Yes, read Richard’s statement that Darryl was responding to: “the only states that will have no procedure for a minor party or independent presidential candidate to get on the ballot, that is at or below 2% of last vote cast in a midterm year, will be North Carolina and Oklahoma.”
Alabama does have such a method, the 5000 signature petition. Thus Richard is correct.
April 13th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Richard’s statement is referring to MID-TERM ELECTIONS – not Presidential elections.
April 13th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Richard’s statement is referring to MID-TERM ELECTIONS – not Presidential elections.
Actually, his statement (at least in terms of the elections which will be influenced by this bill) is referring to presidential elections, and more specifically, to the presidential race in that election:
the only states that will have no procedure for a minor party or independent presidential candidate to get on the ballot,
The mid-term elections are relevant only as the determiner of the petition baseline.
April 13th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
I misread – sorry.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
No problem.
April 14th, 2009 at 5:18 am
And Ohio still sucks . SOS making up directives, going to court, etc. All because there IS no law on petitioning. Almost a blessing, because the courts recognize the Assembly is asleep and therefore, something has to be done.
April 15th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Virginia requires 10% of vote in statewide race to win ballot status, and allows the party to remain on the ballot for 4 years.
April 17th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Technically, Carey Campbell is incorrect. Virginia allows a party to remain on the ballot through the next two statewide elections. That length of time varies, depending on the year.