Rep. William Black introduced HB 632 on February 6. It would improve ballot access for independent candidates. It is similar to Black’s HB 158, which improves ballot access for new and previously unqualified political parties. Both bills set the petition requirement so that it equals the number of signatures needed for major party members seeking a place on a primary ballot. Since the number of signatures for a member of a major party varies according to which major party it is, the bills choose the number of signatures that matches the larger primary requirement. In other words, if in the 8th US House district, a Republican needs 632 signatures to get on the Republican primary ballot, and a Democrat needs 488 signatures to get on the Democratic primary ballot, a minor party or independent candidate would also need 632 signatures.

HB 632 also improves the independent candidate deadline, setting it in June of election years, which matches the existing law for minor party petition deadlines. The existing law for independent candidates requires the petitions to be turned in in December of the year before the election, but that was held unconstitutional last year, so that law needs to be revised.