Pat Saunders, a Green Party member running in the Ohio Green Party primary for the legislature, has been removed from the ballot. One of his circulators is considered to be ineligible to circulate a petition for a candidate running in a Green Party primary, because in 2008 she voted in a Democratic primary. See this story.
Saunders could still be the Green nominee if he receives 25 votes write-in votes in the Green Party primary. However, he must file as a declared write-in quite soon, in order to attempt that.
Politicians are ingenious at rigging improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to blow candidates off the ballot.
It appears that someone who had voted in the Democratic Primary in 2008 can run as a candidate of a new party; can sign the declaration of candidacy of a candidate for a new party nomination, and can challenge the candidacy for nomination of a new party. They just can’t circulate the declaration of candidacy (the candidate may circulate his own).
Pat Saunders was the former Democratic Chairman of Huron County (1994-2000), former Democratic member of the County Board of Elections (1994-2002), and an applicant to replace a resigned Ohio Representative (in Ohio vacancies are filled by party officials of the former legislators party).
So there is possibility of payback for leaving the party.
The former representative had resigned after his presentation to a group of high school students of How a Bill Becomes a Law had begun with a picture of a topless woman. (High school students are going to learn about lobbyists sooner or later, isn’t it better that they learn this in school, rather than on the street?)
This is a fairly balanced district, with the Democrats gaining control by 51.2% in 2006; and then losing it 2008 by 53.59% in 2008 (after the resignation). There are 3 Democrats running for the party nomination, so they must think it is a winnable seat. In a close race they would be concerned about a Green candidate peeling off votes.
So that would be the second possibility.
I hope he filed before the March 3rd deadline for write-in candidates.
PEACE
It’s too late to file to be a write in. You can’t file to be a write-in if you already filed to be a regular candidate in Ohio (except federal offices). I should know because I missed getting on the ballot this year.
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It is now reported that Saunders intends to run as an independent.
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/erie_huron/doc4b97db752339c818027039.txt
I bet the “Green” elector who challenged the “Democratic” petition circulator, will now decide to vote in the Democratic primary since there are no Green candidates on the primary ballot. And Saunders won’t be allowed to run as an independent candidate because he had filed as a Green candidate.
This is simply another illustration of how convoluted things become when you have a system of partisan nominations.
Not too sure how I found this blog but glad I did find it. Think I was looking for something else on google. Not sure I agree 100% with what you say, but have bookmaked and will come back to read to see if you add any more posts. Good blog