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May 31st, 2009
On May 31, Sunday, the Nevada Senate passed SB 212 by a vote of 20-1. It requires initiative petitions to include a substantial number of signatures from each of the 3 U.S. House districts. The bill also says that after 2011, the legislature must revisit the issue.
The one “No” vote was from Senator Terry Care (D-Las Vegas).
Comments Off
May 30th, 2009
On Saturday, May 30, the Nevada Senate Finance Committee amended SB 212, so that if the bill becomes law, initiatives would need a substantial number of signatures from each of Nevada’s three U.S. House districts. This is a far less restrictive idea than the original bill, which required a substantial number of signatures in each of Nevada’s 42 Assembly districts for a statewide initiative petition. See this article, which mistakenly says Nevada has 4 U.S. House districts.
May 30th, 2009
The Prohibition Party holds a national committee meeting in Memphis, Tennessee, on June 17-18. Speakers include Rev. Dr. John Killian, and also History Professor J. David Gillespie, author of “Politics at the Periphery.” The meeting is at Barton-First Southern Methodist Church, 2869 Mendenhall Road.
May 30th, 2009
The League of Women Voters finished studying the National Popular Vote Plan at the end of April, 2009, but was unable to come to a consensus on whether to support it.
May 30th, 2009
The May 28 issue of the Advocate, Baton Rouge’s daily newspaper, has this story about the defeat of HB 776, which would have eliminated the congressional primary for small qualified parties and left them with no means to nominate. The story focuses its attention on fears that the bill was really a “trojan horse” bill that would later be amended to eliminate partisan primaries for Congress and return Louisiana to a “top-two” system for congressional elections.
The story, and these fears, seem to have no foundation in fact. Secretary of State Jay Dardenne has been a supporter of partisan primaries for congressional elections. He would have no motive to initiative a bill that would be a vehicle for ending Louisiana’s partisan primaries for Congress. Furthermore, he pledged to the legislative committee that if HB 776 did get amended to abolish partisan primaries, he and the bill’s sponsor would then withdraw the bill. The basis for the suspicions appears to be the fact that Secretary Dardenne is thought to be planning to run for U.S. Senate in 2010 against Republican incumbent David Vitter, and some people believe Dardenne would have a better chance in a “top-two” primary than in the existing system. Thanks to The Hankster for the link.
May 30th, 2009
The Peace & Freedom Party is hosting a Conference in San Francisco on Saturday, August 1, to advance its hopes of building a nationwide political party. The conference is at the State Building at 455 Golden Gate Ave. See here for more information.
May 29th, 2009
On May 29, the Maine House passed LD 144. This bill shrinks the size of the House from 151 members to 131 members.
Comments Off
May 29th, 2009
On May 29, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, a Bush Jr. appointee, ruled that Rhode Island may not prevent a group from starting to circulate its petition for qualified party status in an odd year. Rhode Island provides that a group that wants to become a qualified party in advance of any particular election must submit a petition signed by 5% of the last vote cast. Furthermore, Rhode Island law makes it illegal to start circulating such a petition until January 1 of an even year.
The case is Block v Mollis, 09-47. The 27-page decision upholds the number of signatures. The case had been filed by the Moderate Party, which only exists in Rhode Island. See this Providence Journal news story about the decision.
This decision is the first constitutional ballot access victory in calendar year 2009 so far, and only the second decision to strike down a “start date” for petitions to create a ballot-qualified party. The first such decision had been won in U.S. District Court in Arkansas in 2001.
May 29th, 2009
On May 28, Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons signed SB 162, which moves the primary from August to June. The bill also moves petition deadlines for non-presidential independent candidates to February, which is likely unconstitutional. Also it requires qualified minor parties to nominate their candidates no later than March, two months before the major parties choose their nominees.
Comments Off
May 29th, 2009
On May 28, the Tennessee House passed SB 547, which provides that two new members should be added to the State Election Commission. The purpose of this bill is to give the Republicans a majority on that body. Although the law already says that the party with a majority in the State House should have a majority on the Commission, implementing this provision turned out to be impossible, without enlarging the Commission.
The Republicans got a majority in the State House in the 2008 election, for the first time in history. There had been a tie in the past, but never a Republican majority.
The bill is still not fully through the legislature, since it needs to go to a conference committee.
Comments Off
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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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