New Mexico Representatives Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) and Jason Harper (R-Rio Rancho) have introduced HB 347. It eases petition requirements for the nominees of qualified parties, and independent candidates, and candidates running in a major party primary.
Current independent petition requirements in New Mexico are among the most severe in the nation, 2% of the last gubernatorial vote (except independent presidential candidates need one-half of 1%). No state has a more severe independent requirement for statewide candidates, except Alabama’s 3% for non-presidential independent candidates. The bill lowers the independent requirements to 1,000 for statewide office, 500 for U.S. House, 100 for State Senate, and 50 for State House and county office.
The bill also eliminates the need for candidates in primaries who have their party’s endorsement to submit any petitions. And for primary candidates who don’t have their party’s endorsement, the bill lowers the petition from 3% of that party’s last vote, to the same 1,000 signatures for statewide office, 500 for U.S. House, 100 for State Senate, and 50 for State House, as apply to independent candidates.
Finally, the bill eases the petition requirements for nominees of qualified minor parties. New Mexico qualified minor parties nominate by convention, and New Mexico is the only state that requires convention nominees of qualified parties to submit any petitions at all. The bill lowers them from 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, to the same 1,000/500/100/50 described above.
Goodie
“New Mexico is the only state that requires convention nominees of qualified parties to submit any petitions at all.”
Massachusetts requires candidates endorsed by the conventions of qualified parties to collect petition signatures, as well.
In fact, so many offices in Massachusetts go unchallenged because the Republicans cannot collect the signatures required for their candidates to run in their own primaries.
In the last election in Massachusetts, the Republican candidate for State Treasurer endorsed at their convention was unable to collect the necessary signatures to be on the ballot. Anti-Mises Libertartian Cris Crawford was the only non-Democrat on the ballot running for Treasurer.
Walter, Massachusetts does not require nominees of the Democratic or Republican Party to collect signatures. A “nominee” is someone who has been nominated. Your comment is only talking about people who have been endorsed, but not nominated. If Massachusetts did that, it would be absurd, to tell someone who had just won a primary, that he or she now needs a petition to get on the November ballot.
And, it has even happened in Massachusetts that Democrat slates running for city and town party committees have failed to collect the signatures required for them to run in the Presidential primary, which is required in Massachusetts. But, lo and behold, the State Secretary, a Democrat (did I even have to mention that?), Bill Galvin, Secretary-for-Ever, excused that, and let them run anyway.
Richard:
I think that that that is a distinction without a difference. You cannot run in the primary in Massachusetts without petition signatures, even if the party convention wants you to run.
Yes, it IS absurd to require candidates endorsed by a qualified party to collect signatures to run, as well.
DO 2023 LOWER GERRYMANDER HACKS GET AN ADVANCE OK FROM TOP GERRYMANDER HACKS BEFORE ANY ELECTION LAW BILL IS INTRODUCED ???
HOW MUCH 2023 CONTROL OF ALL ELECTION LAW BILLS FROM DEVIL CITY — DNC AND RNC, TOP HACKS IN USA H REPS / SENATE / WHITE HOUSE / SUPER-SECRET CABALS ???
IE UNDER 10 TOP SUPER HACKS CONTROLLING ALL ELECTION LAW BILLS ??? – IN USA AND STATE REGIMES.
ONE RESULT — ATTEMPTED STOPPING ALL ELECTION LAW REFORMS BY VOTER PETS FOR STATE CONST AMDTS AND LAWS.
SEMI MIRACLE 2020 RCV ENACTED IN AK VIA CITIZEN INIT PET.
The bill was tabled yesterday. I’ve not been able to find out if it actually had opposition, and the nature of such, as it’s gotten zero coverage in the press, even the NM political press.
Now we (I’m a Green) face the poison pill proposal hidden deep within SB180 that might effectively double our required signature collection numbers, not make them more reasonable, as HB347 proposed.
Voting rights sentiments and rights are big in NM, but don’t seem to include the rights of people to organize and participate outside of the duopoly, or the right to vote for a candidate of your choice outside of the two.
Hey brother