On February 3, the Arkansas House State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee passed HB 1338. It increases the number of signatures for minor party presidential status, and for independent presidential candidates, from 1,000 signatures to 5,000 signatures. The vote was unanimous.
The Arkansas Green, Constitution, and American Solidarity Parties are thinking about rushing to complete the presidential minor party petition soon, before the bill takes effect.
On February 4, the Montana House Administration Committee tabled HB 248. It would have moved the primary for all office from June to March. That would have caused the petition deadline for new parties to move from March of election years to December of the year before the election, It would also have moved the non-presidential independent candidate petition deadline from late May to late February.
The bill was sponsored by Representative Kelly Kortum (D-Bozeman). There is no state Democratic Party that is more hostile to ballot access than the Montana Democratic Party. Both in 2020 and 2018, Montana Democrats took extraordinary measures to keep the Green Party off the ballot.
The Alaska Elections Division has posted registration data as of February 3, 2021. See it here. The percentages are: Republican 24.76%; Democratic 13.56%; Alaskan Independence 3.20%; Libertarian 1.16%; Green .25%; Veterans .22%; Constitution .11%; independent and other 56.74%.
On October 3, 2020, the percentages were: Republican 24.36%; Democratic 13.46%; Alaskan Independence 3.10%; Libertarian 1.17%; Green .26%; Veterans .22%; Constitution .10%; independent and other 57.32%.
The New Mexico Secretary of State has released registration data as of January 29, 2021. The numbers: Democratic 611,357; Republican 425,651; Libertarian 12,798; Independent American 3,889; Green 3,641; Better for America 3,180; Constitution 783; independent and miscellaneous 298,809.
Percentages are: Democratic 44.95%; Republican 31.30%; Libertarian .94%; Independent American .29%; Green .27%; Better for America .23%; Constitution .06%; independent and miscellaneous 21.97%.
On September 30, 2020, the percentages were: Democratic 45.38%; Republican 31.12%; Libertarian .91%; Green .56%; Independent American .36%; Better for America .29%; Constitution .07%; independent and miscellaneous 21.31%.
The past few presidential elections have seen a depressing retrogression on the part of states, as to whether they will tally the write-in votes for declared write-in presidential candidates. The latest to backslide is Maine, where the Secretary of State now refuses to compile the tally, even though he did so in 2016.
Other states that formerlly tallied them, but have stopped, are Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, and Virginia.
In 2016 Maine tallied write-ins for Evan McMullin, Darrell Castle, and Laurence Kotlikoff.
As long ago as 1915, federal courts ruled that the U.S. Constitution protects the right of voters to have their valid votes counted. It is especially important that states with severe ballot access tally write-ins, and Maine is severe. No presidential petition in Maine succeeded in 2020 except for Jo Jorgensen’s petition, and Rocky De La Fuente’s petition. Thanks to Tony Roza for this sad news.
