On Saturday, July 19, the Arkansas Democratic Party State Committee unanimously passed a change in the party rules. It says that no person who resigned from public office as part of a felony plea bargain, is eligible to run in a Democratic primary.
The proposal was motivated by a desire to remove Dwayne Dobbins from the November ballot. Currently he and Green Party nominee Richard Carroll are the only names set to be printed on the November ballot, for State Representative, 39th district (North Little Rock). Dobbins already won the Democratic primary in May, because he was unopposed and Arkansas doesn’t permit write-ins in primaries. Dobbins had been in the state legislature in the past, but he had plead guilty to a sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl. His seat has been taken over by his wife. But the wife, Sharon Dobbins, surprised everyone when she didn’t file for re-election this year, and Dwayne Dobbins did file, on the last day.
The new Democratic Party rule seems harsh, since Dobbins already is the party’s nominee and the rule wasn’t passed until after he had won the primary. But the press in Arkansas all seem to assume that the Democratic Party’s rule change does mean that Dobbins’ name will be removed from the November ballot. This will leave Green Party nominee Richard Carroll as the only name on the ballot. But the Democratic Party will encourage voters to cast a write-in for Clinton R. Hampton, a Democrat and the former Mayor of Dermott.
Excellent work, Richard.
This is why we always try to encourage greens to get on the ballot.
If you are on the ballot you always have an opportunity, and there is no way to tell what will happen.
Congrats to the Arkansas Green Party.
Good post, I agree, congratulations.
this may mean the green party can will its first national election~!
house of representatives seat *
oh my bad i didnt realize it was a state rep, not a national
“Shoe on the other foot….”
Must have some very interesting dinner conversations at their house…..
State Rep is still an important race. The main thing is to start gradually. Have your voice known in your area.
Carey Campbell if you are always encouraging greens to get on the ballot why don’t you leave the Indy Greens of Virginia (Independence Party) and join the Green Party. Also are the Indy Greens finally realizing there’s no way Bloomberg and Paul would ever agree to be on the parties ballot line for POTUS and VPOTUS. I’ve noticed the party now has a photo of (the real Green Party candidate) Cynthia Mckinney on the home page. Furthermore are the Indy Greens not going to run a candidate for president since the Green Party of Virginia is well on there way to achieving ballot access in Virginia for Mckinney and Nader is going the Independent route in the state.
This party rule would not affect candidates here in North Carolina. The party does not have any say on who is and who is not on the ballot. If George Bush was to move to NC and register as a Dem, he could run as a Democrat and no one could stop him.
Rules vary from state to state. North Carolina’s rules are no more relevant than North Dakota’s.
Beware of Frank MacKay and the other Independence Party wolves circling the reform movement SPOs and the Independent [Independence] Green Party affiliates. And when they say ‘we are just looking’ do not necessarily believe them!
Fact: the Independent [so called] Green Party of Virginia is FORMALLY AND OFFICIALLY tied to Frank MacKay!