Massachusetts Again Denies Presidential Substitution for Libertarian Party

On June 13, the Massachusetts Secretary of State again refused permission for the Libertarian Party to substitute Bob Barr’s name for the stand-in candidate listed on the petition, George Phillies. The Secretary of State said the substitution would have been permitted if the party had nominated later in the year, but says there is time for the party to do an entirely new petition listing Bob Barr. The deadline is July 29.

There is some reason to believe that the ACLU will represent the Libertarian Party in a lawsuit. All of the precedents about presidential and vice-presidential substitution are favorable. Massachusetts told Ralph Nader in 2004 that he could substitute Peter Camejo for vice-president (that turned out to be a moot point, though, since the 2004 Nader petition in Massachusetts failed to get enough valid signatures). Massachusetts also let the Reform Party substitute for vice-president in 2000, and let John B. Anderson substitute for vice-president in 1980.


Comments

Massachusetts Again Denies Presidential Substitution for Libertarian Party — No Comments

  1. WE NEED YOUR HELP

    As you can imagine in a Presidential campaign there are hundreds (and sometimes it feels like thousands) of important projects that need our immediate attention, but in June – one issue dominates all others.

    And as I’m sure you know its making sure we get on all 50 state ballots.

    About 27 states are relatively easy but 23 take varying degrees of work

    But no question, Oklahoma is the hardest state. In 2004 Oklahoma voters’ only choice was between a Republican and a Democrat. No third party or independent candidate was on the ballot – in fact they’ve rigged the election rules in Oklahoma so you can’t even write in a candidate’s name.

    Late yesterday, I got a phone call from Oklahoma State Chair, Angela O’Dell.

    To say Angela is passionate about her job as State Chair would be an understatement. When I spoke with her last evening, I could all but see the tears streaming down her face as she was in a panic about getting enough signatures to get on the Oklahoma ballot.

    To get Bob on the ballot in Oklahoma we need to collect 61,478 signatures by July 15.

    But we can’t seriously start collecting the needed signatures until we raise $40,000 to hire the people needed to collect the signatures. To complete the entire process of getting the 61,478 signatures will require another $83,000 – but we can’t even start until we raise the 1st $40,000.

    I don’t mean to seem pushy but I know how much you share Bob’s concern that domestically and in foreign policy our government is dangerously out of control.

    So if you have not had a chance to send a donation in reply to yesterday’s letter, please do so today.

    We must get on all 50 State ballots to make sure that on Election Day November 4, 2008. We will have the largest vote ever expressing American’s opposition to the out of control, power seeking, power hungry, big government Republican and Democratic politicians who are driving our great country into the ground.

    Please go to http://www.bobbarr2008.com and make your pledge today

  2. “But we can’t seriously start collecting the needed signatures until we raise $40,000 to hire the people needed to collect the signatures. To complete the entire process of getting the 61,478 signatures will require another $83,000 – but we can’t even start until we raise the 1st $40,000.”

    I don’t see any way in hell that Bob Barr could get on the ballot in Oklahoma at this late stage in the game for that cheap a price. I think that it would cost a good $320,000 plus for him to make it on the Oklahoma ballot.

  3. Cheers to Mass. As they can tell you the biggest problem we have in a capitalist society is too many choices. Thank God we have the Mass SOS to limit our choices for us, since we already have a D and R on the ballot what else would we need.

    The Mass SOS can suck it.

  4. The Secretary of State’s objection to the timing of the Libertarian convention seems pretty frivolous.

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