The Massachusetts Green Party slate of statewide candidates has enough valid signatures and will appear on the November ballot. The candidates are running for Secretary of the Commonwealth, Auditor, and Treasurer. They needed 5,000 signatures and have 7,300 valid signatures. It is very likely that one or all of these candidates will poll at least 3% in November, which will restore the party’s qualified status. If that happens, it will be listed again on the voter registration form, and will be entitled to its own presidential primary in March 2016 as well as a primary for other partisan office in September 2016. Its 2016 presidential nominee will be on the November ballot automatically.
Congratulations!
That’s some good news. Still…5,000 signatures? I wish we were fortunate enough to have a similarly reasonable requirement here in Illinois, instead of the bogus 25,000 one.
Richard:
Do any of the other small parties have as good a chance to qualify for the Massachusetts ballot in 2016?
The Constitution Party had a candidate lined up for Secretary of State, but couldn’t raise the money to pay for circulators. The Libertarian Party in Massachusetts is strongly opposed to being ballot-qualified, because the petition requirements for members of ballot qualified parties to get on their own party’s primary ballot are so difficult. However, no petition is needed for presidential candidates who want to run in a presidential primary, so the problem is with candidates for Congress and partisan state office. It would be extremely desirable for all minor parties in Massachusetts, and others as well, to publicize the fact that Massachusetts has the strictest ballot access laws in the nation for primary ballot access. The Massachusetts newspapers seem to have no idea of the problem, and recent articles talking about the dearth of candidates don’t even mention the ballot access law for primary ballot access.
The Constitution Party had a candidate lined up for Secretary of State, but couldn’t raise the money to pay for circulators. The Libertarian Party in Massachusetts is strongly opposed to being ballot-qualified, because the petition requirements for members of ballot qualified parties to get on their own party’s primary ballot are so difficult. However, no petition is needed for presidential candidates who want to run in a presidential primary, so the problem is with candidates for Congress and partisan state office. It would be extremely desirable for all minor parties in Massachusetts, and others as well, to publicize the fact that Massachusetts has the strictest ballot access laws in the nation for primary ballot access. The Massachusetts newspapers seem to have no idea of the problem, and recent articles talking about the dearth of candidates don’t even mention the ballot access law for primaries. Massachusetts requires 2,000 signatures for US House candidates to get on a primary ballot, which is a crushing burden when the party doesn’t have that many members in a typical district.
We all need to wake up and realize that until ther is a political “revolution” in this country, that no 3rd party is going to win an election. The only hope is for 3rd parties is to gain the so-called balance of power where it can co-nominate a major party nominee that closest holds our principles and values. We are all familiar with New York State and the success 3rd parties have had there. The Conservative Party Keeps the Republican party somewhat on the right road and the Working Families Party keeps the Democratic party on its toes. The Independence Party has come to play a role of “holding the balance of power,” and this is good. They not only wisely co-nominated most of the Democratic slate, but as a result will get their 50,000 votes and keep their ballot position. If Governor Couma runs into serios trouble by November due to alledged charges, he may need the 50,000 from the Independence Party.