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New Utah Registration Data

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Richard WingerFebruary 1, 2021

Utah active registration data as of January 21, 2021, is: Republican 872,645; Democratic 253,583; Independent American 58,864; Libertarian 19,151; Constitution 6,068; Green 2,454; United Utah 2,211; independent and miscellaneous 494,934.

The percentages are: Republican 51.03%; Democratic 14.83%; Independent American 3.44%; Libertarian 1.12%; Constitution .35%; Green .14%; United Utah .13%; independent and miscellaneous 28.95%.

Percentages on October 5, 2020, were: Republican 51.42%; Democratic 14.78%; Independent American 3.29%; Libertarian 1.08%; Constitution .35%; Green .14%; United Utah .12%; independent and miscellaneous 28.82%.

The Independent American and Green Parties are no longer ballot-qualified, but Utah, like most states, lets parties that go off the ballot continue to keep and gain registrants.

North Dakota Bill to Unseat Presidential Electors Who Don’t Vote for Presidential Candidate Who Got the Most Votes In North Dakota

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Richard WingerJanuary 31, 2021

The North Dakota House Judiciary Committee has introduced HB 1078, which would oust presidential electors who don’t vote for the presidential candidate who got the most votes in North Dakota.

Indianapolis Star Carries Letter to the Editor, Blasting Bill to Make Ballot Access More Severe

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Richard WingerJanuary 31, 2021

The Indianapolis Star, the state’s largest newspaper, has this letter to the editor, opposing HB 1134, which forces the nominees of parties that nominate by convention to submit petitions. The letter is written by Eric Allen.

Arkansas Bill to Increase Minor Party Presidential Petition from 1,000 to 5,000 Signatures

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Richard WingerJanuary 30, 2021

Thirty-two Republican legislators in Arkansas have introduced HB 1338, which would raise the minor party petition for presidential status from 1,000 to 5,000 signatures. The bill also raises the independent presidential petition from 1,000 to 5,000.

In the November 2020 election, Arkansas had 13 presidential candidates listed. Thanks to Jonathan Makeley for this news.

Snopes Article on Past U.S. Parties Named Patriot Party

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Richard WingerJanuary 30, 2021

Snopes has this article about past U.S. political parties that have used the name “Patriot Party.” Some of the groups listed in the article, which is by Jessica Lee, did not actually get on the ballot anywhere. The Patriot Party that did get on the most ballots was the party formed in 1993 by members of the New Alliance Party, in combination with 1992 Ross Perot supporters who wanted to create a new party. It was active mostly in 1994, and was dissolved in 1996 after Ross Perot formed the Reform Party.

Of course the reason people are interested in “Patriot Party” at this time is because of the suggestion by former President Donald Trump that he might possibly support the creation of a new party with that name.

The Snopes article is disappointingly inaccurate when it says, near the bottom, that Ross Perot in 1996 was an “independent candidate” using the name Reform Party. The Reform Party was a bona fide party started in September 1995 by Ross Perot. It had its own nominees for all branches of government, and its own national presidential convention in 1996 in Long Beach, California. It is the only third party that ever received general election public funding. It elected the Governor of Minnesota in 1998.