Alabama held its Democratic primary on June 6. The Democratic primary race for Secretary of State was between incumbent Nancy Worley, and Ed Packard, who has been head of the Elections Division within that office. Packard has been sympathetic to minor parties and independent candidates, whereas Worley has been uninterested. Worley won the primary by a ratio of approximately 3 to 1.
It is somewhat plausible that Alabama will be the only state in the US in November 2006 with a Democratic-Republican monopoly on the ballot for statewide office. Alabama is the only state with a petition requirement for Governor (for the easier of the minor party or independent routes to the ballot) in excess of 2% of the last vote cast. Alabama’s requirement is 3% of the last vote cast.
Unfortunately, Alabama has an “early” deadline for submitting signatures. And to think that only 35 years ago, anyone could get on the ballot with just the submission of a piece of paper-no signatures required.