Oklahoma requires a petition signed by 5% of the last vote cast (for the office at the top of the ballot) to get a newly-qualifying party on the ballot. The number of voters voting for President in Oklahoma declined in 2012, compared to 2008. Also, the presidential vote in 2008 was lower in Oklahoma than it had been in 2004. This is somewhat surprising, because Oklahoma is not losing population.
For 2014, the state requires 66,744 signatures. While this is overwhelmingly burdensome, it is easier than the 2010 requirement, which was 73,134.
Perhaps one reason Oklahoma voters have a low turnout in presidential elections is that they aren’t permitted to vote for anyone other than the Democratic and Republican nominees. For the last three elections in a row, no one can vote for President in Oklahoma without voting Democratic or Republican. No other state has a ballot access record in presidential years this bad, since the period 1956-1964.
The nationwide vote for President for both Democrats and Republicans was down from 2008. Oklahoma is reflecting the national trend on major parties. Only minor party candidates for President increased their parties’ votes over 2008. With no third party Presidential candidates on the ballot in Oklahoma, it’s no surprise that the Presidential turnout went down.
We’re not sure yet that the national total will be lower than it was in 2008. But in Oklahoma we are sure, because Oklahoma has already finished its official tally.
Attention all genius moron lawyers —
Each electiion is NEW and has ZERO to do with any prior event since the alleged Big Bang – except — the actual number of voters in the prior election in each election area – for the next election.
Equal nominating petitions.
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
“Perhaps one reason Oklahoma voters have a low turnout in presidential elections is that they aren’t permitted to vote for anyone other than the Democratic and Republican nominees.”
Oklahoma elections remind me of those communist countries where the only choices on the ballot are Communist Party candidate A and Communist Party candidate B.
AKA “Top One”!
Thanks to upset Democrat coal miners not voting, West Virginia’s numbers drastically DECREASED. There were only 570527 votes for president and 565401 for governor this year (unofficial) compared to 713362 for president and 705795 for governor in 2008. Thus our ballot access requirement has gone from 7134 and 7058 down to about 5706 and 5655 for 2016. Thanks Barry!
Imagine how many of those Democrat coal miners would have voted third party if we could get some damn media attention/debate access?
Exactly so, #4 and #5. If the Soviet Union still existed, Oklahoma could petition to become the Soviet Republic of Oklahoma or Oklahomastan. But it’s not true that their state motto is: “Choice is Never a Good Thing”. It just seems that way.