Minnesota is having presidential primaries this year for the first time in many decades. The new law gives state party leaders the discretion to say which names should be on their presidential primary. The Minnesota Republican Party has decided to list only President Donald Trump. The party also used its discretion to eliminate write-in space on the ballot. See this story.
The only other states in which state party leaders have complete control over which names appear on presidential primary ballots are Florida and Georgia.
Arguably they do in Texas since they can set filing requirements. Remember the Democrats excluded Dennis Kucinich.
On the other hand they are state actors, and would be subject to due process and equal protection and other challenges. A federal court ruled the Democrats violated the VRA since they did not preclear their rule.
I think Washington is another state in which state party leaders have complete control over which names appear on presidential primary ballot.
RCW 29A.56.031: “Each party must determine which candidates are to be placed on the presidential primary ballot for that party. The chair of each party must submit to the secretary of state the names of the candidates to appear on the ballot for that party no later than sixty-three days before the presidential primary. Once submitted, changes must not be made to the candidates that will appear on the ballot.”
https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=29A.56.031
Jim, Dennis Kucinich excluded himself when he refused to sign a promise to support whomever won the party’s presidential nomination. And in 1992 the Texas Supreme Court ordered the Democratic Party to put Lyndon LaRouche on its presidential primary ballot.
Ryan, I could be wrong, but I believe that candidates not selected by the party can also get on the presidential primary ballot if they submit a petition.
Jim, Dennis Kucinich excluded himself when he refused to sign a promise to support whomever won the party’s presidential nomination. And in 1992 the Texas Supreme Court ordered the Democratic Party to put Lyndon LaRouche on its presidential primary ballot.
Ryan, I could be wrong, but I believe that candidates not selected by a Washington state party can also get on the presidential primary ballot if they submit a petition.
@RW,
Dennis Kucinich did not complete the application required by the Democratic Party. That he deliberately did so, does not mean that he excluded himself.
I believe the Democratic party loyalty rule was added after 1992 in response to Larouche’s candidacy.
It is untested whether party rules could exclude felons. They would be judged in the same manner as if statute did so.
The 1992 Texas Supreme Court ruling is faulty in citing the general rule for filing an application, rather than the specific rule for presidential primaries (TEC 172 rather than TEC 191).
More violations —
1-10 NO title of nobility – HACK party officers
4-4 RFG
—
NO primaries.
PR and AppV and TOTSOP
The GOP are more overt with their dictatorial tendencies than the Democrats, that’s for sure. The Democrats at least put on a show in order to pretend they believe in free and fair elections.
Boycott the Primary.