This newspaper story reveals that Kent Thiry, a Colorado businessman who has spent tens of millions of dollars on Colorado initiatives related to election law, is backing HB 23-101. That is the bill which would end the ability of qualified minor parties to nominate candidates, without a difficult petition drive for each minor party nominee. The bill has a hearing on Thursday February 16. The Colorado League of Women Voters is opposing the bill.
Ah, the best democracy money can buy.
The article says the Democratic and Republican parties are both against.
Representatives of the Libertarian, Unity, Approval Voting, Constitution, Forward, and Center Parties have expressed opposition to Colorado SB 23-101.
ANY MINOR PARTY LAWYER ABLE TO DETECT ***EQUAL*** IN 14-1 AMDT ?????? —
EQUAL BALLOT ACCESS LAWS FOR ALL ***INDIVIDUAL*** CANDIDATES — ESP FOR PARTISAN OFFICES.
TOTAL SCREWUP OF EQUAL BALLOT ACCESS BY SCOTUS PARTY HACK MORONS IN Williams v. Rhodes, 393 U.S. 23 (1968) —
MERE 55 YEARS AND COUNTING.
And yet you failed in your cases.
It seems that the folks in Colorado view the nomination process as “either-or”, i.e. either petitions, or caucuses and conventions. Why not have both routes available, as well as filing fees as an option?
Bill failed on a 4-1 vote in committee; postponed indefinitely.
Ballot access should be at the precinct level. If a party has a precinct chair who publicly representsd that party in between elections and shows up at the election meeting, it should be eligible to receive votes in that election. If they have no precinct chair or he does not show up, they can try again next time.