A ballot access improvement bill is expected to be introduced in North Carolina on Monday, February 25. It will reduce the number of signatures for newly-qualifying parties and independent candidates.

In Alabama, State Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) e-mails that he has introduced a similar bill in his state, although it still isn’t on the state legislature’s web page.

In Arkansas, state Senator Jon Woods (R-Springdale) has signaled intent to introduce a bill to ease the definition of a political party.

In Connecticut, where HB 6098 has already been introduced, Mike DeRosa of the Green Party expects to see co-chairs of the Joint Government and Elections Commitee to discuss holding a hearing on the bill. The bill lowers the number of signtures for statewide minor party and independent candidates from 7,500 to 5,000. The Green Party failed to complete the 7,500 petition successfully for President in each of the last two presidential elections, and the Libertarians also failed to complete that petition for President in 2008.