Liz Mair has this article in The Bulwark, gathering facts that rebut the common assumption about “spoilers” in recent U.S. presidential elections. The Bulwark is a new on-line opinion journal that inherited much of the staff of The Weekly Standard.
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the largest daily newspaper in Arkansas, has this editorial, urging the legislature not to pass SB 163. This is the bill that raises the number of signatures for a newly-qualifying party from 10,000 signatures, to 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, which would be 26,746.
The editorial does not mention that if the bill becomes law, Arkansas would have the nation’s most severe petition for new parties, if the easier requirement for new parties in each state is compared (some states have more than one method to allow a new party to appear on the ballot with the party label). Although two other states also have a 3% (of the last gubernatorial vote) petition, they have much longer circulation times. Alabama lets the petition take as long as the group needs, and Oklahoma allows one year. Arkansas requires the petition to be completed in three months. Furthermore, the Arkansas petition deadline is January 2.
Also, the editorial does not mention that the law that was in effect in 1996, which was also 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, was declared unconstitutional in Citizens to Establish a Reform Party in Arkansas, and was declared unconstitutional again in 2006 in Green Party of Arkansas v Daniel. The citations are 970 F Supp 690 (e.d. 1996) and 445 F Supp 2d 1056 (e.d. 2006).
On January 29, the New Mexico House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee passed HB 93 by 3-2, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. It would let independents and members of unqualified parties vote in any party primary. Now the bill goes to the House State Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee.
On January 29, two New Mexico legislators introduced a complete re-write of the Election Code. Among many other provisions, HB 407 lowers the number of signatures for independent candidates. The existing law requires a petition of 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, which is the most severe independent presidential requirement in the nation.
The bill changes the independent presidential petition to one-half of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, and the independent petition for other statewide office, and legislature, and county office, to 2% of the last gubernatorial vote. Oddly enough, though, for U.S. House, the requirement would continue to be 3%.
The authors are Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Albuquerque) and Representative Linda Trujillo (D-Santa Fe). It is believed that this bill has the support of the Secretary of State. Thanks to Rick Lass for the news about the bill.
New Hampshire Representative Ellen Read (D-Rockingham County) and five others have introduced HB 728, which would provide that all federal and state primaries and elections should use ranked choice voting.
