Four New Hampshire State House members have introduced HB 143, to restore the straight-ticket device that was repealed in 2007. The sponsors are Jeanine Nutter (R-Merrimack), Lenette Peterson (R-Merrimack), Don LeBrun (R-Nashua), and Frederick Rice (R-Concord). The bill would not give a straight-ticket device to any party unless that party had polled 4% for Governor or U.S. Senator in the last election.
If this bill had been in effect in 2012, the Libertarian Party would not have had its own straight-ticket device, even though the Libertarian Party successfully completed the party petition and had its own party column (except that the title of the Libertarian Party column was “Libertarian and Other Candidates”; independent candidates were also in the Libertarian column).
Democrats have a majority in the State House, so this bill, which lacks any Democratic co-sponsors, may have an uphill battle. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the news.
The bill’s sponsor told me via email that she introduced it only because a constituent asked her to do so.
So what does that mean? She isn’t going to support her own bill?
I wonder if this would be held constitutional? Setting up a straight ticket option for certain parties. Of course the straight ticket option is unfair to independents.
Republicans looking for more sheeple it appears.
This is a seemingly perfect example of hypocrisy. A straight-device can only be justified if you believe the names of political parties constitute important brand information for the voters. In that case, any barriers erected to prevent ballot access for obviously existent political parties (like being around for 41+ years in the case of the Libertarian Party) is patently anti-democratic.