On February 1, the two Democratic Party members of the New York State Board of Elections asked U.S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe to order a reduction in the petition period for congressional candidates seeking a place on a primary ballot. They also asked him for a reduction in the number of signatures for primary ballot access for Congress.

Current law provides 38 days for the circulation of primary petitions. Current law requires U.S. Senate candidates to obtain 15,000 signatures, or 5% of the number of registered members in that party, whichever is less. However, candidates for U.S. Senate who have substantial support at a party meeting do not need signatures.

Current law requires U.S. House candidates to submit 1,250 signatures, or 5% of their party’s membership, whichever is less, in order to get on a primary ballot. All U.S. House primary candidates must petition, whether they have support at a party meeting or not.

The proposal cuts the number of signatures to 75% of what current law requires. The proposal also cuts the number of days to collect the signatures from 38 days to 28 days.

The two Republican members of the State Board of Elections have not suggested this idea, but neither have they opposed it. The reason for shortening the petitioning period and for reducing the number of signatures is that Judge Sharpe recently moved the congressional primary from September to June, and therefore not much time remains for primary petitioning. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for this news.