For the first time, the Party for Socialism and Liberation is attempting to get on a statewide ballot in a midterm year. It has candidates for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts and Ohio. The Massachusetts candidate, Joe Tache, needs 10,000 signatures and will probably be the only choice on the ballot other than the two major parties, assuming he gets on the ballot.

The Ohio candidate, Greg Levy, needs 5,000 signatures. There will be no party label on the ballot next to his name, assuming he gets on the ballot. Ohio law lets independent candidates choose “no party” or “other party”, but won’t allow an actual party label. An independent candidate is also free to have no label whatsoever, and most petitioning candidates in Ohio choose the option of no label.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation in the past has not tried to get on ballots in midterm years.

U.S. SUPREME COURT BOOSTS RIGHT TO AN ACCURATE VOTE TALLY

On January 14, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Bost v Illinois State Board, 24-568.  It ruled that candidates have automatic standing to challenge election laws that, in the opinion of the candidate, result in slightly inaccurate vote totals.  It doesn’t matter if the perceived problem affects the determination of who had won the election or not.  Accuracy is intrinsically valuable and essential, for its own sake, even if it is obvious who won the election.

The vote was 7-2, with dissents from Justices Sotomayor and Jackson.

The case had been filed in 2024 by an Illinois Republican Congressmember Michael J. Bost.  He is noted for always winning overwhelmingly, sometimes with over 75%.  He complained about an Illinois law that says postal ballots are valid as long as they arrive within 14 days of the election.

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On January 13, the Wisconsin State Elections Commission removed a judicial candidate from the ballot because her statement of candidacy was notarized improperly. The candidate, Christine Hansen, had been thought to have a chance to win a State Appeals Court election. But her husband notarized her paperwork, which was improper. See this story.