North Carolina Representative Jason R. Saine (R-Lincolnton) is expected to introduce a bill in 2015, lowering the number of signatures for newly-qualifying parties and independent candidates to get on the ballot. Currently, North Carolina requires more signatures to get a party, or a statewide independent candidate, on the ballot than any other state. The 2016 petition requirement for both is 89,366 signatures. The petition for a party is due in May, and for an independent candidate, in June.
Unreal! 89,366 signatures, and only something like 10,000 in South Carolina and Virginia.
I wish him luck. The bill might make it out of committee, then it will die like all the rest. The major party dictators only want the peasants to exercise their “rights” in the major party primaries and then only if you cross your “t’s” and dot your “i’s” just the say they say they have to be will they allow one of us to enter that “holy ground” of the major party primary.
The people of Cuba will have more political rights after this recognition of Cuba and the re-establishment of political recognition of that quasi China-like regime is complete. We’ll see Cuba come to life economically, but politically they will be under a one party system – just like in China. The powers that be don’t care – as long as they are making a profit.
I still predict the day is coming, when their is going to be a change in the sociological makeup in the United States and then and only then will we see enough people willing to sign the petitions even if 89,000 names are required.
That day can’t get here soon enough!
Yes, ballot restrictions in NC are very restrictive. Only the Libertarian Party has succeeded in getting on the ballot more than once. And it is one of the few states (Richard would know the exact number) where the Green Party has never been on the ballot. Neither has the Constitution Party.
States in which the Green Party has never had its presidential nominee on the ballot are Georgia, Indiana, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Hoping that this will be the year!!