Montana Bill that Would Have Injured Ballot Access Loses in Committee

Posted on by February 4, 2021
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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.

New Alaska Registration Data

Posted on by February 4, 2021
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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%.

New Mexico Registration Data

Posted on by February 4, 2021
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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%.

Maine is Latest State to Reverse Course from Past Practice, and to Refuse to Tally Write-in Votes for Presidential Declared Write-in Candidates

Posted on by February 5, 2021
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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.

New York Bill to Move Presidential Primary to Late June

Posted on by February 3, 2021
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New York State Senator James Skoufis (D-Cornwall) has introduced S 1819, which would move the presidential primary to the fourth Tuesday in June. That is the same date as the primary for non-presidential office. The 2020 New York presidential primaries were also held in late June, but that was considered a temporary situation, because of the health crisis. The statute says the primary should be in February. Thanks to FrontloadingHQ for this news.