On February 20, the Oklahoma Senate Rules Committee passed SB 76, which hugely increases candidate filing fees. All Republicans on the Committee voted “yes” and all Democrats voted “No.” The fee for state legislature would rise from $200 to $400; the fee for statewide executive offices other than Governor rise from $200 to $1,000; the fee for Governor from $1,500 to $3,000; for U.S. Senate, from $750 to $2,000; for U.S. House, $500 to $1,500. Thanks to E. Zachary Knight for this news.
Ballot Access News
Edited By Richard Winger
With Senate republicans passing this bill and keeping the 5% signature requirement in SB668, I am really worried that the Senate will once again be the roadblock to reform this year.
This in addition to petitioning in the case of non-ballot qualified parties? What about independents?
In Oklahoma, independent candidates (for office other than President) don’t need a petition to get on the November ballot. They just pay the filing fee.
Thanks, Richard.
Yet another example of how the Republican Party is not a party of less government.
As much as I dislike petitioning and object to high signature requirements as barriers, I believe that there should be no monetary fee required for an otherwise qualified individual to run for political office.
A very low signature requirement to show support is OK.
Filing fees should be unconstitutional as unacceptable restrictions on our political liberty.
(1) What alternative to filing fees does Oklahoma provide for candidates who cannot afford them? (See Lubin v. Panish, 1974)
(2) If the alternative is signatures-in-lieu (as in California), then raising the fees makes each signature worth less money and therefore harder to collect. So the change would impact all candidates, not just those who can afford the fees.
#7, Oklahoma says a candidate who doesn’t wish to pay the filing fee must submit a petition signed by 5% of all the registered voters in the jurisdiction. I suspect no candidate for federal or state office in Oklahoma has ever submitted such a petition successfully.
Thus – one more section in ALL constitutions regarding ONLY having equal nominating petitions for ballot access.
Otherwise — Is everybody ready and willing for Civil WAR II between the leftwing and rightwing robot party hacks trying each to get PERMANENT control of the U.S.A. and States regimes ???