On November 1, the Maine Libertarian Party filed a lawsuit in federal court against the law that requires a new party to qualify by January of the election year. The lawsuit also challenges the state policy of erasing all of a party’s registered members when the party goes off the ballot. The case number is not yet assigned, but the case is Baines v Dunlap.
In 2016, when the deadline for a new party to qualify was in December of the year before the election, a U.S. District Court enjoined that deadline. In response, the legislature then moved the deadline only one month. New parties qualify by persuading at least 5,000 voters to register into the party.
ANY brain cells in the ME LP lawyers able to detect EQUAL in 14-1 ???
It’s a shame that Maine’s ballot acess laws are somewhat difficult, because a lot of us could benefit from the data that will come from Ranked Choice Voting.
The American Solidarity Party will work to fund raise for ballot access in Maine for our presidential candidate, and to find a Senate candidate to run against Susan Collins and her Democratic opponent.
Richard, I see the number of sigs to qualify a new party. What is the number (and deadline) for an independent Presidential candidate to obtain ballot access?
It is hard for minor party candidates in Maine to qualify for their primary ballot. The signers of petitions must be registered with the party. Since primaries for minor party candidates are rare, registering with a minor party is about as useful as being permitted to pet the unicorns at the petting zoo. Petitioning then requires convincing voters to change their registration.
It would be better to eliminate the segregated partisan primaries and switch to an RCV open primary to select the Top 2, and let candidates self designate party.
Constitutional Craig, 4,000 valid petition signatures, due sometime in the summer of 2020, I believe around late July or early August.
Thank you Andy. I believe you are someone who often obtains signatures for ballot access for various candidates. If so, has your “busy season” already started….or not until February?
The petition requirement is reasonable, but the time perioid alloted to circulate the petition is too short.