On February 5, the Indiana Senate defeated SB 328 by a vote of 17-31. It would have lowered the number of signatures for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties. It would also have set up a procedure to let an unqualified party petition before it has chosen its nominees.

Although this is a discouraging outcome, this is the first time a ballot access improvement bill in Indiana has made even this headway. Although Indiana ballot access has been severe ever since 1983, only this year did a bill get introduced to reform it. Indiana is one of only four states in which Ralph Nader (who placed third in the presidential elections of 2000, 2004, and 2008) never managed to get on the ballot. The other three states have since then eased their ballot access laws. Thanks to Craig Marolf for this news.