Utah will hold a special gubernatorial election in 2010, because the Governor elected in 2008, Jon Huntsman, has resigned to become Ambassador to China. The 2010 election will be the first special gubernatorial election in Utah history.
Most states don’t hold special gubernatorial elections when a Governor leaves office in the first half of the term. Instead, they follow the federal model, in which a vice-president who fills a presidential vacancy automatically completes the full presidential term, even if the vice-president becomes president in the first half of the term (for example, Harry Truman became president in April 1945, and no special presidential election was held in 1946).
Thus, in 2010, Utah will have two statewide offices on the ballot, Governor and U.S. Senator. Having two offices instead of just U.S. Senate on the ballot may make it somewhat easier for both of Utah’s qualified minor parties to retain their spots on the ballot in 2010. Both the Libertarian Party and Constitution Party (plus any party that might qualify for 2010 by petition) need to poll 2% in a statewide race in order to remain ballot-qualified for 2012.
I wonder if the LP is going to make Super-Dell their nominee for governor again.
>>I wonder if the LP is going to make Super-Dell their nominee for governor again.<<
Doubtful.
After his nomination 13 months or so ago, Super Dell’s 2008 campaign for Governor, while Libertarian in some aspects, seemed mostly focused on abortion, and calling his LDS opponents “murderers.”
While he did earn over the required 2 percent in the statewide race in November, I believe I speak for the majority of registered Utah Libertarians when I report that this issue was discussed at our 2009 convention last week, and there’s very little, if any, support at all for a run by SuperDel as a Libertarian in any race, and more than quite a bit of opposition.
It seems to me his platform, such as it existed last year, may be more in line with that of the Constitution Party, although I doubt they would have him either.
Joseph G. Buchman, PhD
Libertarian Party of Utah Secretary
2009-2011
Which parties will be looking at those two offices in 2010?
To tell you the truth, I believe that Super-Dell would really be better off with the Constitution Party.
“Both the Libertarian Party and Constitution Party (plus any party that might qualify for 2010 by petition) need to poll 2% in a statewide race in order to remain ballot-qualified for 2012.”
Although statewide races present the best opportunities to qualify, it does not need to be a statewide race under Utah law. In one election, a Libertarian candidate for Salt Lake County Treasurer qualified his party for ballot status.
See Utah Code 20A-8-101 and -102 (“any of its candidates”).
Rob is correct. Of course, it’s tough for a candidate running in just a part of the state to poll 2% of the entire statewide vote cast. If the district or county only has 10% of the state’s electorate, then that district or county candidate needs approximately 20% of the vote to meet the 2% standard.