On June 3, North Carolina HB 32 passed the House Election and Administration Committee. It is set for a vote in the House on June 7. The bill lowers the number of signatures for a previously unqualified party from 2% of the last gubernatorial vote (over 85,000 signatures) to one-fourth of 1% of the number of registered voters as of January 1 of the election year (approximately 18,000 signatures). Statewide independent candidate petitions would be the same number of signatures. District and county independent candidates would need a petition of 1% of the number of registered voters.
The bill also lowers the vote test for a party to remain qualified, to one-fourth of 1% of the vote cast for any statewide race. Thanks to Jordon Greene for this news.
Blogging at this site has been very much limited because I am on vacation and e-mail access is very difficult. That vacation will be ended on June 9. Apologies to those whose comments are hung up in moderation, because e-mail access is so bad that I am unable to free those comments.
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Awesome news! Wow, 85k to 18k. That’s quite a significant improvement. I like the 1/4% idea for party qualification and will advocate that change (from full 1%) in my state. Reminds me of the 1/20th percent registered voter qualifier in Delaware.
Obviously I hope this bill gets through the NC state senate and under the governor’s pen. Go Tarheels.
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I suppose any relief is better than nothing, but I still cannot understand why all 3rd parties – regardless of their otherwise philosophical differences – do not unite behind the concept that “filing fees – of the same amount and just like the Dems & Reps have to pay” is the only fair ballot access reform. I do not understand why COFOE does not make this the ONLY reform it will accept and work for ref obtaining ballot position for an independent and/or 3rd party.
When are we going to wake up and realize that securing petition signatures of any amount for ballot position is still discrimitory – especially when Dems & Reps do not have to secure any?
I’m waiting to see what happens with Senator Cam Ward’s bill currently in the Alabama Senate which does reduce the petition requirements drastically in Alabama. If this bill fails, I’m going to return to my original concept of “filing fees only” and any bill I support in the future will include only such. I’m tired of (as an Independent) being treated like a 2nd class citizen. And I think if we all would unite under that umbrella – “filing fees only” and “draw the line in the sand” we’d eventually get real ballot access reform. But obviously, some of you still enjoy freezing your butts off in the winter, and burning up in the summer, begging people to sign your petitions.
But then again, its a free world. Have at it.
“When are we going to wake up and realize that securing petition signatures of any amount for ballot position is still discrimitory – especially when Dems & Reps do not have to secure any?”
Actually, there are several states where even the Democrats and Republicans have to gather petition signatures to place candidates on the ballot.
The real gem in this NC bill is “the vote test for a party to remain qualified, to one-fourth of 1% of the vote cast for any statewide race.” This will encourage a lot more minor party candidates to run for offices such as Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Commissioner of Agriculture, etc. More election DYNAMICS!
This ADDS a REAL INCENTIVE to running for office – to qualify or keep qualified, a political party. Looks like a bit over 10,000 votes would do it in North Carolina.
Right now we are working to get ballot access reform passed in North Carolina that has a better chance of passing. It is not ideal, ideal would place the same exact requirements across the board regardless of political affiliation of a lack thereof. However, many in the state legislature are not ready for this type of reform sadly so this is the best way to get to that point at a later date.
To Andy.
“Actually, there are several states where even the Democrats and Republicans have to gather petition signatures to place candidates on the ballot.”
Yes, Andy, I know that in many states Democrats and Republicans have to collect signatures also for primary ballot position – though usually they are not as many signatures required as are for independents and 3rd partisans. I’ve learned a little something during my some 40 years of independent and 3rd party activity.
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