On February 16, the Oklahoma Senate Rules Committee defeated SB 359 by a vote of 10-4. The bill would have lowered the number of signatures for a new party from 5% of the last vote cast, to 5,000 signatures. The author is Senator Randy Brogdon.
It is possible the House bill could still pass and return to the Senate. Also, the lawsuit Barr v Zeriax is pending. Discovery is proceeding.
Discovery is proceeding.
Has discovery ever shown any collusion between officials of different states?
PEACE
Why is this lawsuit taking so long? A lot of other lawsuits had at least some findings happen before the election.
Here it is, more than three months later, and essentially nothing is happening.
Two weeks ago I gave a deposition in Barr v Zeriax. It is moving fairly rapidly.
Anything anyone can do to help any of these lawsuits?
Let me rephrase that:
Is there anything I can do, or can encourage others to do, to help any of these lawsuits?
Hmm. OK seems to have a rather strong resistence to any sort of ballot access law reform. I wonder if their is a historical basis for this?
A flat 5,000 signatures would hardly cloud the ballot with too many candidates.
ND Has a flat 7,000 (I think) and the fact that we have four qualified (sort of) parties is pretty novel.
MN rules are complicated, but we had — at most — four qualified parties.
Why not simple grant automatic ballot access to say, the top six parties?
Ironically, it is more difficult to get ballot access reform in a state in which it is moderately difficult, than in a state in which it is terribly difficult. When it is moderately difficult, generally some parties or independent candidates do qualify, so the major parties are not shocked by the idea of having some competition. But when a state is really, really bad, legislators and major party officials think that any change might have dynamite consequences, so they are afraid to budge an inch. And even federal judges in those states tend to get intimidated, because it seems like such a potential for changing things.
Ironically, it is more difficult to get ballot access reform in a state in which it is moderately difficult, than in a state in which it is terribly difficult.
It seems to me that you mean the opposite of what you said in the first sentence.
You’re right, I meant to say “Ironically, it is easier…”.
What is it about Oklahoma legislators? Having only two parties on the ballot reminds me of the Eastern Eropean Communist “unity lists” and “unity fronts” where only certain parties were allowed to run for office.