Texas Representative Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville) has introduced HB 4416. It raises the vote test for a party to remain on the ballot from 5% for any statewide office to 10%. If this bill had been law in the past, the Libertarian Party would have been removed from the ballot immediately after the general election of 2016. Middleton is in his first term.
Currently, the only states with 10% vote tests are New Jersey and Virginia. The median vote test of the 50 states is 2%. Texas also lets parties stay on if they got 2% for Governor, and HB 4416 does not alter that test.
1. Every election is N-E-W.
2. Individuals are nominated – some are elected.
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PR and AppV
You always say that, but in the U.S., the tradition is very strong that parties that polled a certain share of the vote in a past election are automatically on the ballot in the next election. That is different than in most other democracies.
When did we become a democracy?
1789
Richard, a Libertarian got 25% in a statewide race last time, so I believe the LP would not be kicked off immediately.
1789? Really? I always thought we were a constitutional republic! Wow!
A country can be both a constitutional republic and a democracy.
Art, you’re right. I have fixed the post. I had been thinking of the 2016 election.
And this guy was endorsed by the Young Americans for Liberty.
So-called *tradition* —
SCOTUS hacks too EVIL stupid to detect reality since 1968 — Williams v Rhodes.
NONSTOP ANTI-Democracy gerrymander oligarchy regimes in States since 4 July 1776.
NONSTOP ANTI-Democracy gerrymander oligarchy regime in USA regime since 4 Mar 1789.
States are *democratic* only when voting on area wide issues – State Consts, State laws, local issues – and for NON-partisan offices.
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Save REAL Democracy
PR and AppV.
1/2 or less votes x 1/2 rigged packed/cracked gerrymander areas = 1/4 or less CONTROL = OLIGARCHY.
— since 1200s in DARK AGE – formation of ye olde English House of Commons.
Carried into 1600’s Brit colonies — carried into 1776 States.
SCOTUS — too EVIL stupid/brainwashed to understand gerrymander math — due to armies of math MORONS (lawyers and amicus profs) in gerrymander cases since 1964.
See 1860 gerrymanders >>> 750,000 plus DEAD in 1861-1865 in USA Civil WAR I.
Earlier – 1761-1776 Brit Am gerrymander colony oligarchs v Brit House of Commons gerrymander oligarchs and appointed House of Lords oligarchs and inherited Brit monarch [KG III] >>> 1775-1784 Am Rev WAR.
FIXATIONS with arbitrary political AREAS — NOT actual Voters.
These kinds of bills are designed to silence many voters and try to push them to the Dem/Repub parties. Leave people alone and let them vote. These stupid people think someone will switch their votes? I will write in before I support people trying to manipulate the system in favor of a duopoly vote.