Maine Senator Louis Luchini (D-Ellsworth) has introduced LD 245, to provide a presidential primary. Maine is one of the few states that has always used caucuses instead of presidential primaries.
Maine Senator Louis Luchini (D-Ellsworth) has introduced LD 245, to provide a presidential primary. Maine is one of the few states that has always used caucuses instead of presidential primaries.
A bit reactionary to Bernie’s 2016 grassroots insurgency.
There’s been a top 2 open primary bill introduced as well, LD 114.
LD 114 requires petitions for partisan candidate to be signed by partisan enrollees. The bill should eliminate this requirement.
Now that the Libertarian Party is a non-qualified party, an independent candidate can file as a “Libertarian” and gather signatures from anyone. But if their lawsuit succeeds, then it will be difficult for them to get a candidate on the ballot.
A statewide candidate would require about 40% of enrolled Libertarians to sign it.Jim Riley Jim Riley
Jim–the Maine party has filed to be re-recognized and has been granted permission to begin enrolling registrants again, which removes the ability of independents to self-identify as Libertarians for ballot purposes. They have to have 5000 by January 2nd of next year. Maine petitioning requirements were pretty rough this last cycle–with only 5300-5600 registrants and a 4000 signature requirement for statewide offices. Lower races weren’t much better. At those enrollment levels 40% of districts didn’t have enough registrants for state legislature seats. Three candidates made an earnest attempt at gathering state house signatures and only 1 was successful.