Moderate Party Submits Rhode Island Petition

On August 4, the Moderate Party submitted its petition to become a qualified party. See this story. The party turned in almost 34,000 signatures, to meet a requirement of 23,589. Assuming the petition is valid, this will be the first time any group has become a qualified party in Rhode Island via the petition method. The petition procedure to create a new party has only existed since 1994.

In the past, groups became qualified parties by the alternate method of running a candidate for Governor or President under the independent procedures, using a party label, and if that candidate polled 5%, the group became a qualified party. This is the method used by the Green Party (Ralph Nader polled over 5% in 2000), which enjoyed qualified status through the 2004 election.


Comments

Moderate Party Submits Rhode Island Petition — 3 Comments

  1. This article is INCORRECT. the GPRI only petitioned to get a presidential candidate on the ballot as a Green in 2000. RI law allows a party to petition on to the ballot with 1000 signatures for Governor or President and keep ballot status with 5% of the vote int he election. The Moderate party is the first to petition for party status submitting 5% of voters on a petition for party status.

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