On March 12, four Alabama State Senators introduced a bill to ease ballot access. The bill, SB 221, lowers the number of signatures for independent candidates, and newly-qualifying parties, from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1.5%. That change affects petitions for Congress and state office. Petitions for partisan county office would continue to be 3%.
The bill also eases the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties, for Congress and state office, from primary day, to the third Wednesday after the runoff primary. The deadline for petitions for county office, and for independent candidates, would not change.
The lead sponsor is Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster). The co-sponsors are Senator Paul Sanford (R-Huntsville), Rusty Glover (R-Semmes), and Tom Whatley (R-Auburn). Thanks to Joshua Cassity for this news.
I’m glad to see a few more legislators join in support support of this bill, but I’m not hopeful. These GOP legislators think we should work within the Republican Primary for our political salvation, but many voters do nor vote in the Primaries, allowing the Establishment getting the faithful out, knowing that they will be faithful to the dictates of the party possesses.
The Democratic Establishment is already sold out to their party bosses so no need to comment further. In my opinion, the Democratic Party is a 1st cousin to the Communist Part. So little differences in positions on issues, it’s not worthy of debate.
Republicans could free the country from the tyranny that threatens it, the problem is that Republican are more interested in protecting the Free Enterprise System than it is in the needs of the common people. Until they understand what the differences there are, then it is hopeful to discuss. Globalism and Internationalism, are both defended by the GOP, and unless and until the GOP leaders understand the difference, there is little hope for the nation being saved.
Only a populist economic and political system will save the United States. I wish Republicans would take the time to learn the difference between the two.
Please reconsider your pessimism. Pessimism causes people to give up and not work for goals that they believe in. Senator Ward is making great headway. One of his co-sponsors this year voted against the bill several years ago. He has never had so many co-sponsors as he has this year. We frequently get ballot access improvements after having had our bills introduced year after year. Look at the headway being made in Oklahoma this month. Please join the fight, especially since you apparently live in Alabama.
Agreed that Senator Cam Ward is an exceptional politician, and was not lumping him into the heap of the others. I guess I’m just disappointed that he’s not going all out and getting a bill passed which allows the option of the filing fee as an option for signatures on petitions. Florida proved that filing fees and petitions provided a happy mix. Despite the filing fee option, most candidates – on the local level – still use the petition method. In Louisiana, I think because the filing fees are low and reasonable, most candidates use the filing fee.
I just want the option. The Democrats and Republicans provide it for their candidates, so why can’t 3rd parties and Independents have the same option? What’s wrong with equality?
This is why someone coined the phrase, “Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good.” No one in politics should expect to get exactly what he or she wants.
“Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good.” This is a good phrase, and has many truths. But when I have to obtain 500 signatures to run for a legislative seats, and an incumbent only needs $500 and his or her 1 signature, this is not equality. It is easier to pay the $500 dollars, and only a moment to sign the qualifying papers. But I’d like to see this entrenched incumbent have to beg for 500 signatures, and then have the gall to tell me his efforts to get on the ballot was equal, if I only had to pay $500 and make one signature. Any politician who honestly makes such a statement is not to be trusted.
Good to hear. Hopefully soon we’ll have something similar here in NC.