Two New York State Senators have introduced SB 8444. It would increase the validity rate for petition signatures for primary and general election candidates. It would provide that signatures are valid if a reasonable person could determine that the signer is a registered voter. Technical mistakes concerning the city, town or village would no longer be enough to invalidate a signature. Cover sheet errors would no longer be a basis for invalidating a signature. Errors in page numbers would also no longer be enough to invalidate signatures.
The two sponsors are Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D-Nyack) and Senator Rachel May (D-Syracuse). Thanks to Joe Burns for this news. If passed, the bill would not take effect until 2023.
To quote Will Turner from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series: “That’s not good enough!”
If these Democrats actually lived up to their party name, they’d be repealing Cuomo’s ballot access requirement increases in addition to passing this bill.
Oh, snap!
What? Lessen the opportunities for partisan pettiness? Why isn’t that Unamerican?
What would be a reasonable number of petition signatures in New York?
EQUAL ballot access for INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES.
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ONE PERSON NOM PET FORMS.
SEE BANK CHECKS FOR CENTURIES.
First, New York state needs a procedure by which a group can transform itself into a qualified party in advance of any election. 39 states have one, but New York doesn’t, and New York lawmakers seem oblivious to that. Second, the new May petition deadline, passed in 2019, should be returned to August. Third, the statewide independent candidate petition old requirement of 15,000 worked OK and should be restored. Fourth, New York should repeal its ban on out-of-state circulators; it is the only state in which out-of-state circulators are banned for all types of candidate petitions. Fifth, the test by which a party stays on the ballot is too harsh. Sixth, New York should change the ballot format from party-column to office-group, as all other states have done except New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware have done. Office-group ballots are far less confusing and don’t hide the names of some candidates. Seventh, New York should have a law on the order of candidates on the ballot that doesn’t discriminate against any candidate.
Richard Winger: excellent summary of needed changes. You are very knowledgeable.
2 more gerrymander cases in SCOTUS
21A455 NC
21A457 PA
Another gerrymander case
21A471 WI
Yes, thanks for the info. Did you see my post on the MN state senate ballot access bill?
21A455 dead
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21a455_5if6.pdf
21A457 dead
https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/030722zr_p86a.pdf
(ORDER LIST: 595 U.S.)
MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2022
ORDER IN PENDING CASE
21A457 TOTH, WILLIAM, ET AL. V. CHAPMAN, LEIGH, ET AL.
The application for writ of injunction presented to Justice
Alito and by him referred to the Court in No. 21A457 is denied.
This case has now been referred to a three-judge court, and the
parties may exercise their right to appeal from an order of that
court granting or denying interlocutory injunctive relief.
—–
Thus gerrymander hacks get past another election.