The Pennsylvania Constitution Party earlier decided to bring a new federal lawsuit against certain Pennsylvania election laws. Since then, the Pennsylvania Green Party and the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party have decided to join the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is likely to challenge four Pennsylvania laws or practices: (1) Pennsylvania’s unique system of forcing candidates whose petitions are successfully challenged, to pay for the costs of determining that the petition was insufficient; (2) the practice of many Pennsylvania counties of failing to count any write-in votes, even though under state law all write-ins are valid; (3) Pennsylvania’s failure to tally registrations for parties that are not qualified parties but which do place nominees on the November ballot; (4) the wording on the petition that says the signers are “nominating” the listed candidates.
The basis for point (1) is that the U.S. Supreme Court has long held that states cannot force voters, parties, and candidates to pay for the costs of administering elections. The basis for point (3) is a string of favorable precedents on the same issue from courts in Colorado, Oklahoma, New Jersey, New York and Iowa. The basis for point (4) is a string of favorable precedents from federal courts in Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia, striking down restrictive wording on petitions for minor parties or their candidates.
A few years ago a friend of mine was told that she was NOT allowed to cast a write-in vote, and mine was listed as VOID, however, the County Election “Czar” said that this didn’t happen.
Of course, if the parties win, the Commonwealth Court will then proceed to ignore all the precedents.
O.K., so I know you are not all Christians,
but even so,
the New Testament Bible has some good ideas you all should think about,
particularly in consideration of how candidates are treated.
New Testament Bible, Book of James, Chapter 2:
“For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring,
in goodly apparel,
and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and say unto him,
Sit thou here in a good place;
and say to the poor,
Stand thou there,
or sit here under my footstool;
Are ye not then partial in yourselves,
and are become judges with evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren,
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith,
and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promosed to them that love him?
But ye have despised the poor.
Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please think about this. Cris Ericson http://crisericson.com