Ballot Access News -- December 12, 2004

CALIFORNIA VOTERS KEEP MINOR PARTIES ON THE BALLOT, BUT WASHINGTON VOTERS THROW THEM OFF

On November 2, 2004, 54.0% of California voters rejected Prop. 62, which would have eliminated minor party members from the November ballot, in congressional and state elections. Also, California voters overwhelmingly passed Prop. 60, which improves ballot access for minor parties (see separate article).

Unfortunately, 59.8% of Washington state voters supported I-872, which removes minor party members from the November ballot, for all partisan office in the state except president.

I-872 in Washington, and Prop. 62 in California were very similar. They both said that all candidates run on a single primary ballot, and that all primary voters receive that same ballot. Then, only the top two vote-getters could appear on the November ballot. Based on past primary election data from blanket primary states, we know that this system gives only Democrats and Republicans a realistic chance to qualify for the November ballot.

In Washington, the legislature is free to revise or repeal initiatives passed by the voters. Since I-872 is internally contradictory, to the point of being unworkable, it is virtually certain that the 2005 legislative session will revise it. No one knows how it will be revised. Under the new law, on the one hand Washington state permits the statewide nominees of unqualified parties to qualify directly for the November ballot, with a petition of 1,000 signatures. On the other hand, the new initiative says that no one can get on the November ballot unless they place first or second in the September primary.

Washington voters didn’t think about the fact that I-872 keeps minor party members off the November ballot (for all office except president).

The campaign for I-872 never mentioned minor parties. Instead, it told voters that I-872 would virtually restore the old blanket primary, which was in effect 1934-2002 and which did not keep minor party nominees off the November ballot. The web site for the "yes" on I-872 even had the address blanketprimary.com. The old blanket primary put the top vote-getter from each party on the November ballot. The 9^th circuit invalidated it, in September 2003. The legislature then created a classic open primary. In response, supporters of the old blanket primary put an initiative, I-872, on the ballot, to eliminate the open primary and impose the unfriendly "top-two" system.

The victory against Prop. 62 in California was a major triumph for that states’s minor parties. Prop. 62 was supported by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and four of the five largest newspapers in the state. The Pro-62 campaign received over $4,000,000 (mostly in contributions from a handful of wealthy businesses), whereas the campaign against it only raised $1,000,000. The Democratic and Republican Parties campaigned hard against Prop. 62, and the minor parties helped with that campaign. Minor party activists appeared at press conferences around the state against Prop. 62, helped with the ad campaign against Prop. 62, participated in editorial board meetings, and got the word out to their own members to vote "no" on 62.

8 MINOR PARTY WINS FOR LEGISLATURE

The Vermont Progressive Party won six seats in the Vermont House, the highest number of seats any minor party has won in any state’s legislature since 1944, when the Wisconsin Progressive Party elected more than that. See ProgressiveParty.org for more information.

The Constitution Party elected its first state legislator, Rick Jore, in Montana. The vote was Constitution 1,559; Democratic 1,557; Republican 1,108. Jore won with only 36.9% of the total vote.

The Green Party re-elected its Maine state legislator, John Eder, even though his district had been abolished in 2003 and he was forced to move. Voter sympathy for his plight actually helped him to defeat his Democratic opponent.

CALIFORNIA PROP. 60

California voters passed Prop. 60 by 67.5% on November 2. It adds this sentence to the state Constitution: "A political party that participated in a primary election for a partisan office has the right to participate in the general election for that office and shall not be denied the ability to place on the general election ballot the candidate who received, at the primary election, the highest vote among that party’s candidates."

Since 1926, California has barred anyone from winning the nomination of a party (at the primary) by write-in votes, unless the write-in candidate polled a specified minimum number of write-ins. This law, sec. 8605, currently requires about 100,000 write-ins for statewide office, 2,500 for State Senate, 2,000 for U.S. House, and 1,300 for Assembly.

Prop. 60, part of the state Constitution, clearly overrides sec. 8605, which is a mere statute. Therefore, it will now be easier for members of all political parties, especially minor parties, to nominate candidates by write-in votes at primaries. California’s Secretary of State is expected to prepare a legal opinion on the status of sec. 8605.

STUDY SAYS CONGRESS MAY GIVE D.C. ITS OWN VOTING MEMBER

On November 19, the Government Reform Committee of the U.S. House released a 24-page study, concluding that Congress has the authority to give the District of Columbia its own voting member in the U.S. House. The study is by Law Professor Viet Dinh. Congressman Tom Davis (R-Va.), chair of that committee, will introduce such a bill soon.

2^nd CIRCUIT CONFIRMS REGISTRATION WIN

On November 17, the U.S. Court of Appeals, 2^nd circuit, affirmed a 2003 decision of a U.S. District Court in Green Party of New York v State Board of Elections, no. 03-7679. That decision granted an injunction, requiring the state to let voters register as members of parties that are not qualified parties. The ruling applies to any group that put statewide nominees on the November election at the most recent election. The ruling so far has helped the Green and Libertarian Parties, although the Socialist Workers Party is now also eligible. The decision also says the state must make the list available to those parties.

The Brennan Center for Justice, which handled the lawsuit, hopes to sue Iowa on the same issue. However, technically, the New York case isn’t over; declaratory judgment still hasn’t been obtained. Iowa is the only state in the nation in which a voter may register as a Republican or as a Democrat, but may not register in any other party.

SAN DIEGO WRITE-INS

On November 2, Donna Frye, a write-in candidate for Mayor of San Diego (one of the 7 largest cities in the U.S.) polled at least 155,454 votes. Her ballot-listed opponents were incumbent Mayor Dick Murphy, who got 157,938; and another city councilmember, Ron Roberts, who got 141,874.

The city did not count write-ins for Frye if the voter did not "x" the box next to the name written in. The League of Women Voters sued the city to force it to count those votes, but a retired State Court judge from Tulare County refused to give any relief. League of Women Voters v McPherson, GIC 838890. The League won’t appeal, but Frye (real party in interest) has the right to appeal, and she still may.

Unfortunately, on November 29, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the same issue in Terry Baum’s case, Baum v Superior Court, no. 04-416.

GOOD BILLS COMING

Alaska: the Elections office will ask the legislature to pass a procedure for independent presidential candidates. In 1974 the U.S. Supreme Court said states must have such procedures, but Alaska and Arkansas still don’t have any, for president.

Arkansas: the ACLU will ask the Secretary of State to help repeal the law that makes it illegal for parties to circulate petitions in odd years. The ACLU won a lawsuit against Arkansas in 2001 on this subject, but the law has never been changed.

California: it is likely that the legislature will repeal the law that requires write-in voters to also "x" the box, next to the name written in.

Georgia: minor party activists will again seek ballot access improvements from the legislature, which now has a Republican majority for the first time since the 19^th century. Contact Hugh Esco at 404-806-0480 or Walker Chandler.

Massachusetts: activists will ask the legislature to re-define "party", so that it is a group that has met the vote test at either of the last two elections. Such a bill would restore the Green and Libertarian Parties. Contact David Hudson at 508-481-8863.

Ohio: activists have accepted an invitation from the Secretary of State to suggest improvements in ballot access laws. Contact Robert Butler, 800-669-6542.

Oregon: activists will ask the legislature to restore the write-in declaration of candidacy procedures that were repealed in 1995. Contact Walt Brown (Socialist presidential candidate, whose own write-in vote for himself will never be counted under Oregon’s current law), 503-636-4150, or Greg Kafoury.

South Dakota: the Secretary of State will ask the legislature to amend the definition of "party" to include a group that has at least 1,000 registered members. Current law requires them to poll 2.5% for Governor.

Tennessee: activists will ask the legislature to permit partisan labels for candidates who use the independent candidate procedure. Contact Steve Trinward, 615-424-7740.

Texas: activists will ask for a lower number of signatures, a later deadline, and an end to the "primary screenout." Rock Howard, 512-458-9675.

Vermont: the Secretary of State will ask the legislature for a declaration of write-in candidacy procedure.

LIBERTARIAN OKLAHOMA CASE

The Oklahoma Libertarian Party case will be heard in the U.S. Supreme Court on January 19. Clingman v Beaver, 04-37. The issue is whether a party has a right to invite all registered voters into its primary. The lower court ruled that the Freedom of Association clause protects a party’s right to do this. The state appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that if the Libertarian Party does this, the major parties will be injured.

The states of South Dakota, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, West Virginia and Utah have filed an amicus brief against the Libertarian Party. The party hopes that the Reform Institute will file an amicus on its side. The Reform Institute, of Alexandria, Virginia, was founded by U.S. Senator John McCain, and it has intervened in other court cases in support of open primaries. Ironically, it intervened against the Arizona Libertarians when they were trying to close their primary.

COBB-BADNARIK RECOUNT REQUESTS

David Cobb and Michael Badnarik have been winning as much publicity since the election as they enjoyed before the election. This is due to their requests to recount the presidential votes in Ohio, Nevada and New Mexico. On November 30, the Kerry campaign intervened in court to help in the legal battle to save the Ohio recount request.

2004 OCTOBER REGISTRATION TOTALS

-	Dem.	Rep.	Indp, misc	Constitut.	Green	Libt	Reform	Nat Law	other
Alaska	71,506	118,008	252,645	5	4,470	8,200	58	7	20,040
Arizona	914,264	1,055,252	655,554	?	4,832	18,261	?	?	- -
Calif.	7,120,425	5,745,518	2,976,966	326,763	160,579	89,617	40,516	28,779	68,110
Colorado	947,866	1,125,374	1,028,928	170	5,279	6,078	337	534	- -
Conn.	670,356	438,554	878,148	245	2,045	789	19	?	2
Delaware	242,598	181,875	129,417	291	629	776	211	257	860
Dt. Col.	286,084	30,179	62,441	?	5,215	?	?	?	- -
Florida	4,261,249	3,892,492	2,120,201	585	6,646	13,806	3,872	?	2,920
Iowa	598,296	604,277	736,007	- -	77	- -	- -	- -	- -
Kansas	428,728	730,049	421,946	- -	- -	9,019	1,686	- -	- -
Kentucky	1,614,300	997,525	182,291	?	?	?	?	?	- -
Louis'na	1,593,488	678,275	578,616	50	898	1,432	2,779	23	- -
Maine	297,831	274,727	365,921	?	19,006	?	?	?	- -
Maryland	1,627,217	870,068	433,439	226	6,962	2,055	?	?	- -
Mass.	1,526,711	532,319	1,995,452	56	9,509	23,900	1,168	44	- -
Nebraska	396,767	575,781	177,961	4,575	398	4,717	?	?	- -
Nevada	429,808	434,239	164,504	31,517	3,356	6,240	356	1,081	- -
N. Hamp.	228,766	266,770	360,325	?	?	?	?	?	- -
N. Jersey	1,163,224	884,801	2,956,639	62	632	448	97	56	- -
N. Mex.	550,519	359,563	185,566	14	9,724	4,974	?	54	- -
N. York	5,534,574	3,209,082	2,415,999	?	41,222	362	?	?	635,829
No. Car.	2,583,087	1,905,446	1,021,875	?	?	12,831	?	?	- -
Okla.	1,101,072	816,933	225,253	?	?	689	31	?	- -
Oregon	791,412	721,070	481,504	2,580	13,977	16,236	?	?	285
Pennsyl.	3,966,293	3,386,434	913,719	?	15,525	34,003	?	?	- -
Rhode Is.	254,418	68,083	349,405	?	901	?	?	?	- -
So. Dak.	191,588	238,705	71,043	98	?	1,091	?	?	- -
Utah	95,928	413,219	743,694	284	1,081	2,556	161	87	202
W. Va.	680,464	349,193	138,400	?	?	?	?	?	637
Wyo.	62,385	146,328	23,355	?	?	328	?	?	- -
TOTAL	40,231,224	31,050,139	23,047,214	367,521	312,963	258,408	51,291	30,922	728,945
Percent	41.87%	32.32%	23.99%	.38%	.33%	.27%	.05%	.03%	.76%

The parties in the "Other" column are: in Alas., 15,581 Alaskan Indpc. and 4,459 Republican Moderate; Peace & Freedom in Cal.; Working Families in Ct; in Del., 433 Soc. Wkrs and 427 Indp. Party; in Fla., America First 305, Soc. Wkrs. 266, Socialist 363, Southern 484, Veterans 1,502; these N.Y. parties: Independence 323,063, Conservative 160,337, Liberal 80,344, Right to Life 46,026, Working Families 25,932; Socialist in Ore.; Soc. Wkrs. in Utah; Mountain in West Virginia.

A dash means that the voters are not permitted to register into a particular party. A question mark means that the state has not tabulated the number of registrants in a particular party.

Totals Jan. 2004 were: Dem. 37,301,951 (42.19%), Rep. 28,988,593 (32.79%), Indp. & misc. 20,471,250 (23.15%), Constitution 320,019 (.36%), Green 298,701 (.34%), Libertarian 235,521 (.27%), Reform 63,729 (.07%), Natural Law 39,670 (.04%), other parties 695,639 (.79%).

Totals October 2000 were: Dem. 38,529,264 (43.84%), Rep. 28,813,511 (32.78%), Indp. & misc. 18,999,126 (21.62%), Constitution 348,977 (.40%), Libertarian 224,713 (.26%), Green 193,332 (.22%), Reform 99,408 (.11%), Natural Law 61,405 (.07%), other parties 620,668 (.71%).

Totals October 1998 were: Dem. 37,425,660 (44.94%), Rep. 27,695,767 (33.26%), Indp. & misc. 16,804,922 (20.18%), Constitution (then called U.S. Taxpayers) 317,510 (.38%), Reform 245,831 (.30%), Libertarian 179,255 (.22%), Green 118,537 (.14%), Natural Law 70,032 (.08%), other parties 424,101 (.51%).

Totals October 1996 were: Dem. 36,946,324 (45.68%), Rep. 27,323,046 (33.78%), Indp. & misc. 15,227,612 (18.83%), Constitution 306,900 (.38%), Reform 207,933 (.26%), Libertarian 162,545 (.20%), Green 112,199 (.14%), Natural Law 85,853 (.11%), other parties 328,833 (.63%).

2006 PETITIONING FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE

State	Requirements		Signatures Collected					-
State	Full Party	Candidate	Llib't	Green	Consti.	Nat. Law.	Reform	Other Party On
Alabama	41,012	41,012	1,000	0	0	0	0	none
Alaska	(reg) 9,258	#3,086	8,200	in court	0	0	0	Ak Indpc
Ariz.	26,835	est. #20,000	already on	0	0	0	0	none
Arkansas	10,000	10,000	can’t start	can’t start	can’t start	can’t start	can’t start	none
Calif.	(reg) 77,389	165,573	already on	already on	already on	already on	40,516	Peace & Fr
Colorado	(reg) 1,000	#1,000	already on	already on	already on	534	337	none
Connecticut	no proc.	#7,500	already on	0	already on	0	0	none
Delaware	est. (reg) 280	est. 5,600	already on	already on	already on	257	211	SWP, Indp
D.C.	no proc.	est. #3,800	can't start	already on	can't start	can't start	can't start	none
Florida	be organized	103,013	already on	already on	already on	already on	already on	many
Georgia	42,676	#42,676	already on	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	none
Hawaii	648	25	already on	already on	0	already on	0	none
Idaho	11,968	5,984	already on	0	already on	already on	0	none
Illinois	no proc.	#25,000	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	none
Indiana	no proc.	#29,553	already on	0	0	0	0	none
Iowa	no proc.	#1,500	0	0	0	0	0	none
Kansas	16,477	5,000	already on	0	0	0	already on	none
Kentucky	no proc.	#5,000	0	0	0	0	0	none
La.	(reg) 1,000	pay fee	already on	898	50	23	already on	none
Maine	24,798	#4,000	0	already on	0	0	0	none
Maryland	10,000	est. 29,400	already on	already on	already on	0	0	none
Mass.	est. (reg) 41,000	#10,000	23,900	9,509	56	44	1,168	none
Michigan	31,731	31,731	already on	already on	already on	already on	0	none
Minnesota	141,420	#2,000	0	0	0	0	0	Indpnc
Mississippi	be organized	1,000	already on	already on	already on	already on	already on	Amer First
Missouri	10,000	10,000	already on	0	0	0	0	none
Montana	5,000	#5,000	already on	0	0	0	0	none
Nebraska	4,735	2,500	0	0	0	0	0	none
Nevada	7,915	7,915	already on	0	already on	0	0	none
New Hamp.	20,299	#3,000	0	0	0	0	0	none
New Jersey	no proc.	#800	0	0	0	0	0	none
New Mex.	3,782	14,079	0	already on	already on	0	0	none
New York	no proc.	#15,000	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	Indp,C,WF
No. Car.	69,734	law is void	9,500	8,900	0	0	0	none
No. Dakota	7,000	4,000	0	0	0	0	0	none
Ohio	54,818	5,000	in court	0	0	0	0	none
Oklahoma	73,188	pay fee	in court	0	0	0	0	none
Oregon	18,381	18,356	already on	already on	already on	0	0	none
Penn.	no proc.	est. #24,000	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	none
Rhode Isl.	21,857	#1,000	can't start	can’t start	can't start	can't start	can't start	none
So. Caro.	10,000	10,000	already on	already on	already on	0	already on	Unit Cit
So. Dakota	8,364	#3,346	already on	0	already on	0	0	none
Tennessee	41,314	25	0	0	0	0	0	none
Texas	45,253	45,253	already on	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	none
Utah	2,000	#1,000	already on	0	0	0	0	Personl Ch
Vermont	be organized	#1,000	already on	already on	0	0	0	LbU, Marij
Virginia	no proc.	#10,000	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	none
Washington	no proc.	law unclear	can’t start	can't start	can't start	can't start	can't start	none
West Va.	no proc.	#14,686	0	0	0	0	0	Mountain
Wisconsin	10,000	#2,000	already on	already on	already on	0	0	none
Wyoming	4,774	4,774	already on	0	0	0	0	none
TOTAL STATES ON			26	15	15	6	5	-

Florida has 24 qualified minor parties, most of which have never run any candidates for any office.

2004 PRESIDENTIAL VOTE

	Bush	Kerry	Nader	Badnarik	Peroutka	Cobb	S.W.P.	Brown	Vanauken
Alabama	1,176,394	693,933	6,701	3,512	1,994	?	?	?	?
Alaska	190,889	111,025	5,069	1,675	2,092	1,058	?	?	?
Arizona	1,104,294	893,524	2,773	11,856	?	138	?	?	?
Arkansas	572,898	469,953	6,171	2,352	2,083	1,488	?	?	?
Calif.	5,509,826	6,745,485	19,218	50,165	26,645	40,771	?	?	?
Colorado	1,101,255	1,001,732	12,718	7,664	2,562	1,591	241	216	329
Conn.	693,826	857,488	12,969	3,367	1,543	9,564	12	?	?
Del.	171,660	200,152	2,153	586	289	250	tba	100	tba
D.C.	21,256	202,970	1,485	502	?	737	130	?	?
Florida	3,964,522	3,583,544	32,971	11,996	6,626	3,917	2,732	3,502	0
Georgia	1,914,254	1,366,149	2,231	18,387	580	228	?	?	?
Hawaii	194,191	231,708	0	1,377	0	1,737	0	0	0
Idaho	409,235	181,098	1,115	3,844	3,084	58	?	3	?
Illinois	2,346,608	2,891,989	3,559	32,452	435	240	?	?	?
Indiana	1,479,438	969,011	1,328	18,058	?	102	?	22	?
Iowa	751,957	741,898	5,973	2,992	1,304	1,141	373	?	176
Kansas	736,456	434,993	9,348	4,013	2,899	33	?	4	5
Kentucky	1,069,439	712,733	8,856	2,619	2,213	?	?	13	0
Louisiana	1,102,169	820,299	7,032	2,781	5,203	1,276	985	1,795	0
Maine	330,201	396,842	8,069	1,965	735	2,936	?	?	4
Maryland	1,024,703	1,334,493	11,854	6,094	3,421	3,632	?	?	?
Mass.	1,071,109	1,803,800	4,806	15,022	?	10,623	?	?	?
Michigan	2,313,746	2,479,183	24,035	10,552	4,980	5,325	?	1,431	?
Minn.	1,346,695	1,445,014	18,683	4,639	3,074	4,408	416	2	539
Miss.	672,660	457,766	3,175	1,793	1,758	1,073	1,599	?	?
Missouri	1,455,713	1,259,171	1,294	9,831	5,355	?	?	?	?
Montana	266,063	173,710	6,168	1,733	1,764	996	?	2	?
Nebraska	512,814	254,328	5,698	2,041	1,314	978	82	?	?
Nevada	418,690	397,190	4,838	3,176	1,152	853	0	0	0
N. Hamp.	331,237	340,511	4,479	395	tba	tba	tba	tba	tba
N. Jersey	1,670,003	1,911,430	19,418	4,514	2,750	1,807	530	664	575
N. Mex.	376,930	370,942	4,053	2,382	771	1,226	0	0	0
N. York	2,962,567	4,314,280	99,873	11,607	207	87	2,405	?	2
No. Car.	1,961,166	1,525,849	1,805	11,731	?	108	?	348	?
No. Dak.	196,651	111,052	3,756	851	514	?	?	?	?
Ohio	2,858,727	2,739,952	?	14,695	11,907	186	22	?	?
Okla.	959,792	503,966	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Oregon	866,831	943,163	?	7,260	5,257	5,315	?	?	?
Penn.	2,793,847	2,938,095	2,656	21,185	6,318	6,319	?	?	?
R.I.	169,046	259,760	4,651	907	339	1,333	tba	tba	tba
S.Car.	937,974	661,699	5,520	3,608	5,317	1,488	0	2,124	0
S.Dak.	232,584	149,244	4,320	964	1,103	0	0	0	0
Tenn.	1,384,375	1,036,477	8,992	4,866	2,570	33	?	6	?
Texas	4,526,917	2,832,704	9,153	38,787	1,626	1,014	?	111	?
Utah	663,742	241,199	11,305	3,375	6,841	39	393	?	?
Vermont	121,180	184,067	4,494	1,102	tba	tba	244	tba	tba
Virginia	1,716,959	1,454,742	2,393	11,032	10,161	104	?	23	?
Wash.	1,304,894	1,510,201	23,283	11,955	3,922	2,974	547	?	231
W.Va.	423,778	326,541	4,063	1,405	82	5	?	?	?
Wisc.	1,478,120	1,489,504	16,390	6,464	871	2,661	411	471	?
Wyoming	167,629	70,776	2,741	1,171	631	?	?	?	?
Guam	21,490	11,781	196	67	0	0	0	0	0
TOTAL	62,049,400	59,039,116	463,831	397,367	144,292	119,852	11,122	10,834	1,861

Almost one-third of the states still don’t have official totals, so the numbers will continue to change. "Tba" means "to be announced". "?" means the candidate may have received write-in votes in that state, but no one will ever know how many. This is because the candidate didn’t file for write-in status, or it means the state permits write-ins but won’t tally them. "0" means the candidate wasn’t on the ballot and no write-ins were allowed for president this year (for instance, Florida permits write-ins, but since no one filed as a write-in presidential candidate this year, Florida didn’t print write-in space on the ballot for president). The chart prints the name of presidential candidates. In the case of the Socialist Workers Party, the chart just says "SWP" (since that party had two presidential candidates this year).

Candidates who were on the ballot in at least one state, but who aren’t on the chart, are: Peltier, 27,607 in Cal; Parker, 49 in Ca, 2 in Oh., 253 in R.I., 265 in Vt., 1,077 in Wa, total 1,644; Amondson, 378 in Co. & 1,566 in La., total 1,946; Harens, 2,387 in Mn.; Jay, 946 in Ut.; Andress, 804 in Co.; Dodge, 140 in Co.

TERRY BAUM SETS A RECORD

Terry Baum, Green party nominee for U.S. House in California’s 8^th district, polled approximately 6,000 write-in votes, or 2.2% of the total vote cast. This is the best percentage ever for a minor party write-in candidate for U.S. House. The previous record had been 2.1% for a Prohibition Party write-in candidate in California’s 15^th district in 1932. That candidate, Errol Shour, polled 2.1%.

LIBERTARIAN PARTY

Although the Libertarian Party didn’t elect any state legislators, it did win an important partisan office in Georgia. Ben Brandon was elected County Executive of Dade County, Georgia. Other than George Wallace carrying the state in 1968, this is almost surely the first time a minor party has won a partisan election in Georgia since 1898, when the Peoples Party won some seats in the state legislature. Nationwide, the Libertarian candidates for U.S. House polled over 1,000,000 votes. The party has met this benchmark for three elections in a row now. The next issue of B.A.N. will carry all minor party results for Congress and Governor, and also a list of local office wins.

SOCIALIST WORKERS ON IN DELAWARE

The Socialist Workers Party is a qualified party in Delaware, for the first time in history. It did this by registering more than 259 members (as shown on voter registration records). This is the first time in history that any party with "Socialist" or "Communist" in its name has qualified on the basis of its voter registration strength. The party did not gain these registrants in time to appear on this year’s ballot, but it will appear in future elections, assuming its registrants remain registered with the party.

December 12, 2004 – Volume 20, Number 8