Some states provide qualified minor parties with their own presidential primaries, and minor parties have used presidential primaries in at least a few states, in all presidential elections starting in 1972.
For 2012, the Green Party seems to be the minor party with the greatest opportunity to use presidential primaries, because it is not nominating a presidential candidate until July. The Green Party is now entitled to its own presidential primary in Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, and West Virginia.
The Libertarian Party has fewer opportunities to use its own presidential primaries, because it is nominating in early May, before primaries are held in many states. However, the Libertarians are free to use presidential primaries in Arizona, Delaware, and Missouri.
The Constitution Party’s national convention is in April, but it is free to use its presidential primary in Missouri, because that primary is on February 7, well before the party’s national convention.
Americans Elect does not wish to participate in any government-sponsored presidential primaries, because it has its own national on-line presidential primary. However, chances are it would be eligible for government presidential primaries in Arizona, California, Delaware, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah, and possibly a few other states, if it wished.
Certain other minor parties are eligible for presidential primaries if they wished to use them, but generally they don’t. These include the Conservative, Working Families, and Independence Parties of New York, and the Progressive Party in Vermont. The Peace & Freedom Party always uses its presidential primary in California, as does the American Independent Party in that state.
SAVE Democracy — P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
ONE election day — NO robot party hack caucuses, primaries and conventions are needed or wanted.
Isn’t ballot access in the general election in California contingent on having a primary?
#2, no, it’s not. George Wallace didn’t run in any American Independent Party presidential primary in 1968; the party didn’t use its presidential primary that year. But Wallace was on the November 1968 ballot as the American Independent Party nominee.
The Prohibition Party never used its California presidential primary, but it was on the California general election ballot in all presidential elections 1912 through 1960, all years in which California would have given the Prohibition Party a presidential primary if it had wanted one. The same is true for the Independent Progressive Party in 1948 and 1952, and the Peace & Freedom Party in 1968.
Primaries should be replaced with simple Iowa-style caucuses all on a designated day and time, spread out throughout the counties in various school/public facilities, and at the complete expense of the respective political parties. Parties under a certain voter registration threshold could continue to nominate by state convention at a time & place of their choice.
VT Progs will not run in the 2012 prez primary. We are a major party in VT however, so our primaries are open-the party doesn’t control who can run, candidates can submit signatures to get on the ballot.
#3 Is the law (and Constitution) in 2012, the same as it was 44 or more years ago?
Didn’t Proposition 4 in 1972 make the presidential primary mandatory?
A qualified party in California is one that is qualified to participate in the presidential primary and make endorsements on the sample ballot for voter-nominated offices.
BTW, is your lawsuit (Fields v Bowen) against the SOS going to be appealed to the California Supreme Court?
It is still true that parties in California may skip the presidential primary if they wish, without hurting their ability to place a presidential nominee on in November.
#7 Has any party skipped the presidential primary since adoption of Proposition 4 in 1972? (the so-called Open Primary).
#8, yes.
#9 Which party(-ies) and when?
So far my plan is to notice Bowen of who will need to run for President at the National Convention. I hope
this will help by answering Jim Riley questions.
Sincerely, Mark Seidenberg, Chairman, American Independent Party.