The Pennsylvania Senate State Government will hold a hearing on SB 495 on Tuesday, September 22, at 9 am. This is the bill that eases ballot access for minor parties and independent candidates. The author of the bill, Senator Mike Folmer, is also chair of the Committee.
Ballot Access News
Edited By Richard Winger
Would SB 495 lower to 2,000 signatures?
That would have avoided many lawsuits in the past.
In 2010, NYC Prop 2 passed 80-20
and lowered sigs for mayor to 3,750 from 7,500.
20 people made the ballot for mayor in 2013.
I signed in Union Square Park for many candidates.
If SB 495 is passed, the method for minor parties to appear on the ballot would change from a petitioning process (that the D’s and R’s use to appear on the PRIMARY election) to a convention process. This means that the Green and Libertarian parties would hold a convention and nominate candidates according to their party rules. (In other words, for minor parties, the signature requirement is irrelevant since they are barred from participating in the state funded primary.)
For independent candidates they would have to meet the same threshold major party candidates have for getting on the primary ballot. For statewide offices, this is 2000 signatures.
Free Equal intends to create an online portal for people to access information about candidates running for office. Kanye West for President?