On August 2, the Pennsylvania petition deadline, the Libertarian statewide candidates submitted approximately 24,000 signatures. The Green statewide candidates submitted approximately 19,400 signatures. The requirement is 19,082. State elections officials have accepted the petitions, but anyone is free to challenge either petition.
The Libertarians believe their validity rate is high, because so many of the signatures were collected either at the polls on primary election day May 18, or collected door-to-door.
How about the Constitutionalists? Did they file for any statewide offices? Since their national HQ is in PA it would seem to me an embarrassment if they didn’t qualify for the ballot there.
The Constitution Party decided some weeks ago that it didn’t want to spend the money on the statewide Pennsylvania petition.
How does one get away with collecting signatures at the polls? Isn’t that considered “electioneering?” In West Virginia, there is a 300 ft no electioneering zone around the polls. They run us out of the DMV here, even though 61-6-19 of WV state code clearly says that petitioning on state property or any of its departments or divisions is acceptable as long as it creates no disturbance.
Jeff, that West Virginia law for 300 feet is probably the worst in the nation. Each state has its own rule. Most states set it at 100 feet. Louisiana once had 500 feet and that was held unconstitutional.
Thanks for the good Green Party news…
Mel Packer Green Party U.S. Senate candidate in Penn is excellent..
Mel Packer posts regular video commentary, reaction and response to issues, and news…
The Green Party’s Mel Packer is strong candidate, articulate, passionate Green Party advocate.
http://melpacker.com/
Pennsylvania is tough on the Greens. They’ll have to get lucky.
With only 350 extra signatures, anyone who doesn’t like the Greens can knock them off the ballot. As for the person who complained that we collect signatures at Primaries, Pennsylvania’s no electioneering zone is only 10 feet. Not only is it legal, you get a lot of quality signatures doing it.
It appears that Mel Packer made it on the ballot with only 47 signatures to spare.
There have been people convicted and sentenced to jail for using public funds and legislative staff to remove candidates from the ballot in Pennsylvania, so that may throw a damper on the enthusiasm for challenging signatures.
Mik #8:
Of note: the republican candidate for Governor and current State Attorney General is the one who brought the charges.
The Constitution Party nominee for Governor was placed on the ballot as a Tea Party candidate.
The Libertarians filed for US Senate, Governor (a former Green Party candidate), Lt. Governor and some 20 odd Congressional and State Legislative candidates.
The Green Party filed for US Senate (Give ’em hell Mel), US Congress (14th district), and 5 State Rep. seats (53rd, 111th, 145th, 183rd, and 194th).