The turnout in Alabama this week was so much higher than it was in 2014, that the new statewide petition for new parties and non-presidential independent candidates is now at least 51,416 valid signatures. When the official returns are known, that number will probably be even higher.
By contrast, in 2016 and 2018, the statewide petition was 35,413. That number has increased by 45%.
The same will probably be true in other states in which the 2020 statewide petition is based on the number of votes cast in 2018, whereas the 2018 petition was based on the 2014 turnout: Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas.
Under my model election law, all qualification would be by individual candidates, who would require the support of 0.1% of the ballots cast in the previous gubernatorial election. For Alabama this would be 1714 registered voters. For US representative, state senator, and state representative the requirements would be 245, 49, and 17, respectively (with variation based on votes cast in district).
Supporters would appear at the state capital or county courthouses, where they would be verified by election officials. Supporters would make appointments, and could arrange rallies.
Elections would be either by nonpartisan Top 2 or general election, with runoff if necessary.
Great seeing big voter turnout from my home state Alabama.
Regarding Jim Riley’s comment calling for Top Two and non-partisan elections: No way.
No to Top Two because America doesn’t want a two-party system anymore.
To that end the United Coalition has established itself as the PPR Electoral College by way of California Libertarian and Green Party ticket Herd / Ogle [Libertarian / One] 2020.
http://www.usparliament.org/google2020.php
Keep politics partisan and protect the word(s) as party name (or independent) for free speech to inform voter more info. inside voting booth.
@Jim Riley: would you support a vote for 2, top 2 runoff (each party nominates only 1 candidate per race)?
Again — now E-signature stuff in Biz [with MAJOR security stuff].
Same E-sig stuff for ballot access – candidates and issues.
Derek German, a top two runoff would be good, and the United Coalition USA is already proposing same idea for US Senate although in embryonic stage in preparation with North Carolina Green Party member imitative.
The only objection to your proposal is “one candidate per race” which doesn’t sound good since it would be too restrictive by limiting to one nominee per party. That’s because the party bosses are bitterly opposed to allowing outsiders to be nominated and ballot qualified.
One set of nomination guidelines for all people in entire state would be more appropriate. The nomination qualifications (such as nomination signatures, etc.) can be adjusted up or down to allow more or fewer nominees but our team likes the low requirements because we love large numbers of possible nominees for the election of two US Senators per state.
Libertarian / Green United
(But the party bosses don’t want you to know)
Derek Gorman, the United Coalition USA initiative “Bill of Rights for Voting Equality” is already currently elected as top item on the Unity Platform, it has an sub-item for reforming US Senate election (currently exists as elimination of US Senate entirely) and the iniatative is linked on below.
However I am unsure how North Carolina’s Marcia Everett [Green Party USA] will be democratically upgrading her proposals for the item with regards to the details but she is an excellent thinker and writer and reachable by email and facebook.
Click the item on the following page to see the current state of her writings for our top Unity Platform item:
http://www.international-parliament.org/ucc-p7-usa.html
The California Libertarian/Green Party US Presidential team, Go Herd/Ogle [Libertarian/One] for President 2020, is spearheading the cooperation between all parties and independents and the North Carolina Green Party through a national pure proportional representation (PPR) Electoral College.
@Derek Gorman,
I will use the term “political club” rather than “political party”. This is not intended to be perjorative, but simply to avoid any connotation that a political party is an agency of the government.
A political club is free to encourage members or others to run for office. It might help gather signatures to qualify the candidate. They can make lists of endorsed candidates, and distribute them to members and the general public. Voters may seek the advice of others, including political clubs who they should vote for. Political clubs may encourage voters to actually vote.
There is no reason to have nominations that are recognized by the government. With nominations, the government has to decide which groups may make nominations. Those who have that privelege will seek to keep others from having that same privelege.
@DR,
Do you have a germ phobia?
SEE 1918 WORLDWIDE FLU — MILLIONS DEAD.
HOW MUCH DISEASE SPREAD AT OVER-HEATED POLLING PLACES
— ESP IN MAY-SEP STATE PRIMARIES ???
HOW MUCH NOV DISEASE IN OREGON — ALL PAPER MAIL BALLOTS ???
JR — VERY GOOD LUCK IN TRYING TO GET RID OF ***OFFICIAL*** BALLOTS.
BACK TO THE EVIL ROTTED PAST ??? — WITH BOSS GANG NOMINATIONS AND BOSS GANG COLORED BALLOTS AND BOSS GANGS WATCHING/RECORDING WHO VOTED WHICH COLORED BALLOTS — FOR PURGE PURPOSES.
—
EQUAL NOMINATING PETITIONS/FILING FEES.
The signature requirement in Alabama going up decreases the odds of the Libertarian Party, or any other minor political party, gaining party status in Alabama for the next 4 years.
The last time any party other than Democrat or Republican had party status in Alabama was the Libertarian Party back in 2002.
Any 2020 ballot access cases filed ??? — even without final-final official results ???
Too late already to file them to get any SCOTUS action in time for the 2020 election ???
@DR,
I did not propose getting rid of official ballots. I proposed getting rid of official nominations.
So BOSS Gangster nominations are OK again ???
Show up at your local city hall and nominate AZ — or else ???