On September 6, the Massachusetts legislature’s joint Election Law Committee took testimony on SB 365. It would not permit any presidential candidate to be listed on either a presidential primary ballot, or the general election ballot, unless he or she revealed income tax returns for several years. Here is a copy of the bill. Also it would tell presidential electors that they could not vote for anyone who hadn’t released the returns. The bill had been introduced in January but had to wait eight months for a hearing. The fact that it received a hearing is a sign that it will pass.
One more LEFTWING regime trying to be politically correct for LEFTWING voters — and subvert the qualifications language to be a Prez/VP.
ONE more reason to abolish the rotted Electoral College.
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Uniform definition of Elector-Voter in ALL of the USA
PR and nonpartisan AppV.
Does the US Term Limits v. Thornton precedent apply to presidential (elector) elections? That is, the idea that states can’t add to the exhaustive list in the Constitution of qualifications for federal office? Or is it different because the legislature is exercising its plenary power over the method of selecting presidential electors?
Well, plenary authority from the original articles and the 12th Amendment is still subject to later amendments (such as the 17th, as noted in US Term Limits v Thornton — or the 14th, to take another good example).
I believe US Term Limits v Thornton controls this case. The US Constitution sets qualifications for president that are very similar (in type) to qualifications for congress. Both have age limits, citizenship requirements, and residency requirements. It doesn’t seem convincing to treat the two offices differently.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth often lists Presidential candidates on the primary ballot if they are mentioned in the media as candidates. This has been done in the past even for Libertarian candidates. Presumably, if this law passes, the Secretary will only be able to list those candidates who have declared, and revealed their returns. Also, state party chairmen have the authority to list primary candidates, as well. I wonder what the Libertarian Party chairlady will do if no Libertarian candidate reveals his or her tax returns.
Trump got 32.3 Pct of the 2016 Prez votes in MA – 5th lowest.
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The MA regime will claim it is merely playing with Art. II, Sec 2 part —
Each State shall appoint, [[[ in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct ]]], a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
note again in 14 Amdt, Sec.2 —
electors for President and Vice President of the United States