As noted earlier, Evan McMullin submitted approximately 5,500 signatures in Wyoming to be on the ballot. The law requires 3,302. However, Wyoming law does not allow voters to sign for more than a single independent candidate for the same office. Approximately one-third of the McMullin signers had also signed for either Jill Stein or Rocky De La Fuente. Because those two candidates filed their petitions before McMullin did, the signatures of those multiple signers did not count for McMullin.
The order in which the candidate signed the petition can be determined (because signers show the date of signing) but is not material. The signature that counts is the first one submitted to the Secretary of State.
Did they say how short?
There is no precise number, because after the Secretary of State’s office had disqualified a certain number of signatures for various reasons, they realized that even if every single unchecked signature was valid, he wouldn’t have enough. So the state stopped checking.
Wow, I did not know that they even had such a prohibition in Wyoming against candidates signing for more than one independent candidate for the same office. This is a ridiculous and unreasonable law that ought to be repealed.
I am pretty sure that there is no prohibition in Wyoming against signing for for than one minor political party to gain ballot status.
Is there any other state that only allows you to sign one Indy petition at a time.
There are several, but I haven’t compiled a list.
South Dakota also has some kind of weird law. Only registered independent voters can sign a petition for independent candidates.
Minnesota has the same interpretation of the law. And we have a lot of parties petitioning in the same areas. That’s why we always shoot for a minimum of 200% of the requirement. I don’t think it’s ever been applied, but we’ve heard the opinion from the MN SOS numerous times.
The law makes sense. How can you possibly support multiple candidates when you can only vote for one?
Signing a petition for a candidate to be on the ballot is not a blood oath to vote for that candidate.
I disagree.
Nominations ONLY via EQUAL nominating petitions — to get SERIOUS candidates.
RJ, by your logic anyone voting in a republican or democrat primary has to vote for that party in November
Look carefully at Section 685, Subsection (3) of Michigan’s Election Code:
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-168-685
It doesn’t actually say the restriction on signing only one party’s ballot-access petition applies to a particular election cycle — so it could be interpreted to mean you oculd only ever sign one once in your life!
* * * * * * *
(3) The petitions shall be in substantially the following form:
PETITION TO FORM NEW POLITICAL PARTY
We, the undersigned, duly registered electors of the city, township of …………….. county of …………….. (strike one) state of Michigan, residing at the places set opposite our names, respectfully request the secretary of state, in accordance with section 685 of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.685, to receive the certificate and vignette accompanying this petition, and place the names of the candidates of the …………………… party on the ballot at the ……………….. election.
Warning: A person who knowingly signs petitions to organize more than 1 new state political party, signs a petition to organize a new state political party more than once, or signs a name other than his or her own is violating the provisions of the Michigan election law.
…………………………..
…………………………..
…………………………..
New York has that law too. And you can also only sign one primary petition per office for a major party, I believe.