As of 6 p.m. eastern time, the Connecticut Supreme Court still hasn’t ruled on which party should be listed first on the ballot. This is somewhat surprising, because it is not likely that the decision will appear on the weekend, although it is always possible.
There are other states in which the ballot isn’t final yet either. For example, in Arkansas, the State Supreme Court still hasn’t ruled on whether the medical marijuana initiative should be on the ballot. But Arkansas has already printed the ballots with the initiative listed. If the Court removes the initiative from the ballot, the state simply won’t count the votes. But Connecticut is not free to handle its unresolved matter that way. No Connecticut ballots, not even overseas absentee ballots, can be printed yet. Such ballots must be mailed no later than Saturday, September 22, according to federal law.
What about the Pennsylvania ballot? Isn’t PA in the same situation since they don’t know who is going to be listed?
Gary Johnson’s name has been included on the Pennsylvania ballot, as well as the Libertarian candidates for other statewide office. If the challenge should go against the Libertarian petition, the Libertarian votes wouldn’t be counted, or some counties might try to mark the names off.
They have not been printed (overseas ballots are being distributed as Federal Write-In Ballots for now, with candidate listings in alphabetical order), but the Court has not ordered towns not to print them.
Still, election officials are able to meet their requirement to sent these ballots 45 days out, and the Secretary of the State is free to direct towns to print absentee or polling place ballots whenever they like: it is out of apparent deference to the court that the Secretary’s office has not exercised this authority.
SEND these ballots 45 days out.
Who’s on First?
What?
Who cares!
Who cares?
What?
Who?
No, who’s on first, what’s on second.
Why?
#5 – the reason why it matters is that there are stupid people out there that, when they don’t know any of the candidates, will vote for the top of the ballot rather than leaving that position blank.
The sensible solution would be to have some of the ballots have the Republicans listed first, part have Democrats, part have Libertarians, etc. I don’t count on the courts being sensible, however.
CT does not care about deadlines that apply to them. They are required to inform petitioning candidates if the made the ballot by a certain date which they ignore.