New Mexico will soon hold a special U.S. House election to fill an upcoming vacancy in the First District. The incumbent, Deb Haaland, will soon resign to join President Biden’s cabinet. Already Aubrey Dunn, Jr., has completed his petition to be an independent candidate in that district.
The Idaho Secretary of State has released registration data as of February 5, 2021. The totals are: Republican 556,906; Democratic 145,479; Libertarian 11,581; Constitution 4,052; independent and miscellaneous 338,800.
Percentages are: Republican 52.70%; Democratic 13.77%; Libertarian 1.10%; Constitution .38%; independent and miscellaneous 32.06%.
In September 2020, the percentages were: Republican 52.88%; Democratic 14.13%; Libertarian 1.00%; Constitution .36%; independent and miscellaneous 31.64%.
On February 10, the New York State Senate passed A4686. It had already passed the Assembly. It cuts the number of signatures for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, in half. It applies only to 2021 elections.
Pennsylvania Elections Department has released the first registration totals for any minor parties since February 2020. The new figures are: Democratic 4,075,927; Republican 3,458,241; Libertarian 46,037; Green 10,240; independent and miscellaneous 1,222,818.
The percentages are: Democratic 46.25%; Republican 39.24%; Libertarian .52%; Green .12%; independent and miscellaneous 13.87%.
In February 2020, the percentages were: Democratic 47.45%; Republican 38.19%; Libertarian .47%; Green .12%; independent and miscellaneous 13.77%.
Currently, in West Virginia, a qualified party is one that polled at least 1% for Governor in the last election. Delegate Pat McGeehan (R-Chester) has introduced HB 2215. It expands the definition, to a group that either has 5,000 registered voters, or which polled at least 1% for any statewide state office. In West Virginia, governor and all other statewide state offices are up in presidential years, so a group that met the vote test would have qualified status for the next four years. Thanks to Jeff Becker for this news.
Currently, the Libertarian and Green Parties are ballot-qualified. Although the Constitution Party has been on the ballot for Governor, it has never polled as much as 1% for that office.
