Vermont Progressive Party Fills Statewide Slate for State Office

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On May 15, leaders of the Vermont Progressive Party met and endorsed a full slate in the party’s primary for the six state statewide offices. They are: Governor Martha Abbott; Lieutenant Governor Marjorie Power; Secretary of State Peter Cooper; Attorney General Charlotte Dennett; Treasurer Don Schramm; Auditor Michael Bayer.

The party nominated a full slate to make it less likely that any non-members might seize one of the party’s nominations with write-in votes in the party’s primary. The party may possibly withdraw some of these candidates after the August 24 primary is over, depending on which Democrats win the primary and what their positions on issues are. See the party’s web page here for more information.

Two California Democratic Party Activists Set Up New Webpage to Fight Proposition 14

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Veteran California Democratic campaign professionals Steven Maviglio and Mike Roth have begun working against California’s Proposition 14, the June 2010 ballot measure to set up a top-two election system in California. Maviglio is the editor of the blog California Majority Report. Roth was Communications Director for John Garamendi when Garamendi was California’s Lieutenant Governor. They are both based in Sacramento. They have set up a committee to raise money to defeat Proposition 14, and have a web page, www.noonproposition14.com. At this point it doesn’t have a great deal of content.

Georgia Ballot Access Rehearing is Still Pending in 11th Circuit after 38 Days

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The 11th circuit upheld Georgia’s 5% petition requirement for independent and minor party candidates (for U.S. House) on March 22, 2010, in Coffield v Handel. Faye Coffield asked for a rehearing before the full 11th circuit on April 9. That request is still pending. Most petitions for rehearing are denied within 30 days of the request, but this one has been pending for 38 days.

Michigan Democratic Party Said to be Behind Attempt to Qualify a Tea Party for Michigan Ballot

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According to this story, a petition is circulating to qualify the Tea Party for the Michigan ballot. However, the story also says that the same petitioning company that is circulating this petition has worked in the past for the Democratic Party. The story does not interview any leader of the drive to qualify the party, so it is difficult to know. In most states, a petition to qualify a new party must contain the name and contact information for at least one officer of the proposed new party. Unfortunately, Michigan petitions do not do that. The petition has a postal address but no names of party officers. The address appears to be P.O. Box 23, Richville, Michigan. Richville is in the “thumb” area of the Michigan “hand”, east of Saginaw.

Even if the party gets on the ballot, if it doesn’t hold a state convention and nominate candidates, the effect of the petition would be nil. Thanks to Mike Feinstein for the link.

In 2004, Colorado Democrats paid to ballot-qualify two new parties for the ballot, the Gun Owners Rights Party, and the Pro Life Party. As in Michigan, new qualified parties in Colorado nominate by convention. Even though the two parties qualified in Colorado, they never called any convention and never nominated any candidates. After the 2004 and 2006 elections were over, the two parties were removed from the ballot for having failed both the vote test and the alternate registration test.

California Parties Plan Protest at $100,000-per-Couple Fundraising Event in Favor of Proposition 14

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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is the leading proponent of California’s Proposition 14, the top-two primary ballot measure. He is hosting a dinner at his home in Los Angeles on the evening of May 18, Tuesday. The event is for the purpose of raising money to promote Proposition 14. Tickets to the dinner at his home are $100,000 per couple. The home is in the Brentwood neighborhood of west Los Angeles.

Minor party activists, and also major party activists, are planning to gather as near the site as they are permitted to be, with leaflets and signs expressing opposition to Proposition 14. See this story at the Free and Equal web page. Check back to www.freeandequal.org for updates. A sign-making event will be held Monday evening, May 17, 6:30 p.m., at the Peace & Freedom Party office at 2617 Hauser, in Los Angeles near Culver City. The demonstration itself starts at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18. The fundraising dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.

Governor Schwarzenegger has not generally shown concern for voting rights. He has repeatedly vetoed bills to enhance voting rights. Twice he vetoed the National Popular Vote Plan bill. He also vetoed a bill to provide that the intent of the voter should control, when a voter casts a write-in vote, so that such votes would count even if the voter didn’t know to “X” the box next to the name written in. He also vetoed a bill to let general law cities and counties use Instant Runoff Voting for their own elections if they wish.

Hearing Set in New York Lawsuit Over Whether State Must Hold Special Election for U.S. House

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A U.S. District Court in Buffalo will hear Fox v Paterson on May 25. This is the lawsuit over whether New York state must call a special election to fill the vacant U.S. House seat, 29th district. The district has had no representative since March, when incumbent Eric Massa resigned. The state says it will hold a special election in November 2010. The plaintiffs say the U.S. Constitution guarantees them representation before then.

See this story. Judge David Larimer, a Bush Sr. appointee, has already rejected the state’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. The state says an election in late June or early July is too expensive.