On March 4, the South Dakota Senate passed HB 1018, the omnibus election law bill that includes a provision that a ballot-qualified party may remove itself from the ballot. That provision was included so that Americans Elect can revoke its political party status, and avoid being on the 2014 ballot with its own primary.
Also on March 4, HB 1072 was signed into law. It repeals the South Dakota law that makes it a crime for a political party to endorse a candidate for state judge. The South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice had asked the legislature to repeal the law, because it is probably unconstitutional.
I would like to know who is the national chairperson or the state chairperson who has the power to take the South Dakota Americans Elect Party off the ballot under this law.
If Americans Elect nationally is not a political party, then it has no chairperson, right?
In Arizona, I have jokingly called myself the Supreme Leader of the Arizona Americans Elect Party, the only state party where candidates had primaries and were on the general election ballot in 2012, and we have ballot access in 2014. But the “Supreme Leader” nonsense is a joke because we have no state leadership. We do have 258 voters registered with the party as of the last count.
I’ve looked at the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website and don’t see the kind of voter registration by party figures we have in Arizona and other states, though perhaps I have missed it. (Compared to Arizona, South Dakota’s website for elections is extremely user-unfriendly.)
I see the voter registration form lists an open space for voters to choose their party rather than give a list of recognized parties (in Arizona, online you automatically get a list of the five ballot-qualified parties), so I assume it’s possible there may be voters registered with the South Dakota Americans Elect Party, even if it’s an ephemeral organization.
I wonder if there are constitutional or statutory issues with this law that could be challenged in court if someone (who?) tried to remove Americans Elect from the South Dakota 2014 primaries.
South Dakota does have registration by party, and in October 2012, there were 4 registered members of Americans Elect in that state.
The Secretary of State has no state chair on file, and if the bill is signed into law, it is still an open question about how Americans Elect can remove itself, since the bill requires that the state chair give consent.
It would be nice if the state would cough up the registered voters under Americans Elect. I am the Americans Elect (of Arizona) gubernatorial candidate and we have filed for exclusive representation of the ballot access (party).
Mr. Grayson is a funny man and his book that spoofs elections may actually be a bit humorous, I just wish he would tone down his Website and remove his crude remarks to both Arizona and the GOP. Not sure how he feels about the Dems, but any critical comments to them might best be removed as well.
Just a request Richard Grayson… Just a request.