The Arkansas Secretary of State’s office has determined that the petition to place Jim Hedges on the November 2016 ballot as a presidential candidate is valid. This is the first time a Prohibition Party petition for a presidential nominee has succeeded since 1996. Although the party’s nominee for president appeared in a handful of states in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012, in all those four elections all the states in which the party qualified did not require a petition (Florida, Louisiana, Colorado).
In 1996 the party completed petitions in Tennessee and Utah.
Hedges used the independent petition procedure, not the procedure for a minor party that wants to be on for President only. So his ballot label in Arkansas will be “independent.”
The Prohibition Presidential ticket of Jim Hedges of Pennsylvania and Bill Bayes of Mississippi feels confident that it will also make the ballot in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Colorado, and Tennessee.
The Prohibition Presidential ticket nominees have never failed in it’s 146 years of history to have been on at least one (1) state ballot with it’s presidential ticket since 1872. No other 3rd party in the United States can make this claim.
The Prohibition Party has finally outlived the “single gaugers” and now is becoming a “populist” party. While the Alcohol issue is still the signature issue of the party, more emphasis will be placed on American Independence and opposition to the United Nations, a better understanding of Constitutional Government, and informing Americans that a nation consists of a border, a language, and assimilation.
Have they ever been on the ballot in New York?
The Prohibition presidential ticket has good chances also in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Colorado and Tennessee.
The Prohibition Party is the oldest 3rd party in the United States, and in it’s 146 years of existence, has had it’s presidential ticket on at least one (1) state ballot in every election since 1872.
The Prohibition Party is also changing. While the Alcohol issue is still the “signature issue” of the party, the “narrow gaugers” are dying out, and today’s party leaders are more “populist” and are placing emphasis on American Independence in opposition to the United Nations, a better understanding of Constitutional Government, and a recognition that a strong nation is comprised of “a secured border, a common language, and assimilation.”
Clay, they have up until about the 1940s.
The Prohibition Party was on the ballot in 1940 in New York, and was also ballot-qualified in New York from the beginning of government printed ballots in 1890, all the way thru 1922. Also there was another party in New York in favor of prohibition called the “Law Enforcement Party” that was ballot-qualified 1930-1934.
Alaska and Hawaii are the only states in which the Prohibition Party never received any votes for President.
What’s the difference between the independent petition and the minor party petition? Less signatures?
No difference at all. Both are due August 1, 2016. Both require 1,000 signatures. The Prohibition Party activist who arranged to get the petition blanks, and set up the petitioners, didn’t understand all the choices Arkansas gives groups.
Kind of a shame they didn’t know they could have used the party name just as easily. Oh well…
They did know and did not care. There was some delay with getting the political group petition from the Arkansas SOS which involved some going back and forth, but eventually the Arkansas SOS did provide the correct form. In the day or two that it took to get that straight the prohibition party was asked if they wanted to wait and get the correct form so they would have their ballot label or just go ahead and get started right away and understand that they would be listed as independent, and they said get started and they did not care if their party name would be on or not. That made things easier for the petitioner on the ground but he would have qualified them either way.
“They did know and did not care.” Actually: You were not there and have no right to say they did not know and did not care. The Prohibition Party has but only 1 person who is in charge with the ground activities. And also, these Secretaries of State will give you the run around. I would say that it is possible they did not explain this to the ballot access coordinator.
How many years has your party been around? We are only 15 years less old than the Republican Party. It has been said, that President Lincoln said when he got Slavery abolished, then he was going to work to abolish Alcohol. Sadly, John Wilkes Booth took care of that. Many founders of the GOP help found the Prohibition Party.
As our drug problems become worse and worse, many will turn to the Prohibition Party with the idea of building a stronger coalition of those against the evils of this country and will enjoy those days of the late 1890’s.
“Actually: You were not there and have no right to say they did not know and did not care.”
How do you know where I was or wasn’t? And I can tell you for a fact that they were told what the options were and were asked whether they wanted to wait to get the issue with the forms straightened out or go ahead and get started with the understanding that the party name would not be on the ballot and otherwise everything else would be exactly the same. They said get started, don’t wait.
” And also, these Secretaries of State will give you the run around.”
They did but it took a couple of days to get it straightened out. The prohibitionists said they did not want to wait, just go ahead and get started. The SOS did come thru with the correct form a day or two later.
” I would say that it is possible they did not explain this to the ballot access coordinator.”
I can 100% guarantee that it was explained to him. He said he passed that on to the candidate and the candidate told him to get started right away with the independent petition.
“How many years has your party been around? ”
What party would that be and what does that have to do with anything?
In other news, Jim Hedges is in the hospital. Pray for him.
Why is he in the hospital?
That was all the information I was given. The contractor who got hired to get Arkansas on the ballot for them was told that this is why his or her payment for successfully completing the job will be delayed. The campaign manager did not say for how long the delay will be or what Mr. Hedges is is in the hospital for. Since that contractor owes me money I am in the loop about payments he is due to receive, why they are not on time and other associated details.
I think Jim Hedges is having trouble with his shoulder.
I just got the same information today. I hope he feels better soon.
I hope his shoulder injury is minor. As a fellow Pennsylvanian I wish him a speedy recovery.
Presidential nominee Jim Hedges is home and recuperating. This is probably the best ticket the party has nominated in decades. We have candidates who are not obsessed with the Alcohol issue as was in past elections. Other issues will be addressed. Vice-Presidential nominee Bill Bayes of Mississippi is a “recovering” Republican and well-versed on the issues. The 146 year old party has more years ahead.
Thanks, everyone, for your concern about my health! I’m home and functioning, but I’ll be more-or-less laid up for several months. Arthritis ate up my right shoulder, making me an involuntary one-armed leftie.
I see more enthusiasm and support for this campaign than there has been for any Prohibition campaign since the first Bubar campaign in 1976.