On December 19, the Madison County, Alabama Republican Party blocked Tom Butler from getting on the Republican primary ballot for Madison County Commissioner, second district. The reason for denying him ballot access is that in the past he was a Democrat. See this story.
Butler was endorsed by Alabama’s Republican Governor, Bob Riley. Alabama does not have registration by party. For 28 years Butler served in the State Senate as a Democrat, but he says he is a Republican now. But because he can’t run in the Republican primary, he may petition to get on the ballot as an independent candidate. In 2010, State Senator Harri Anne Smith was denied the opportunity to run for re-election to the State Senate as a Republican, because she had endorsed a Democratic candidate for Congress in 2008. She then ran as an independent for re-election, and was won.
Not knowing what the paperwork requirement is couldn’t Butler just file as a Republican, without all the fuss. I remember Bob Kelleher of Montana, a few years was a Democrat/Green who filed as a Republican. Is is there a membership requirement that says Butler couldn’t just file?
In Alabama and a few other southern states, candidates file in partisan primaries with the party, not with elections officials. The Republican Party rejected Butler’s application. This is common in Alabama. The Alabama Republican Party once rejected a candidate who had a radio talk show. On her show she had said nice things about the Constitution Party, so on that basis they wouldn’t let her run.
Thanks. So in a sense its who you know.
Harri Anne Smith (AL State Senator 29th district) was removed from the 2010 GOP primary ballot for endorsing a Democrat in 2008.