Rocky De La Fuente Submits Brief in Ninth Circuit in Washington Ballot Access Case

In February 2018, a U.S. District Court struck down Washington state’s law that makes it illegal for an independent presidential candidate to petition if he or she hasn’t first run a legal notice in a newspaper, at least ten days before starting, revealing where the petitioners will be working.

The Secretary of State appealed this decision to the Ninth Circuit. On August 22, De La Fuente filed his response brief, defending the decision of the U.S. District Court.

The state’s reply would have been due this month, but the state requested an extension of time until October 22 to file its final brief. The case is De La Fuente v Wyman, 18-35208.

Vermont Progressive Party Incumbents All Run for Re-Election

Every state office in Vermont has a two-year term. In 2016, the Progressive Party elected the Lieutenant Governor, two State Senators, and seven State Representatives. All ten of these incumbents are running for re-election in 2018.

In 2016, the Progressive Party had 20 candidates for State House, but this year it has 17. Also in 2016 it had nominees for two statewide offices (Lieutenant Governor and Treasurer), but this year it only has one. Here is the Secretary of State’s candidate list for 2018.

Alaskan Independence Party Has No Nominees in 2018

The Alaskan Independence Party is a qualified party in Alaska, but it has no nominees for any partisan office this year. In 2016 it had only one nominee, who ran for the State House. In 2014 it had no nominees, because the only person who filed in its 2014 primary later withdrew. It had no nominees in 2012. In 2010 it had nominees or Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and State House in one district.

The reason it remains ballot-qualified is because it has so many registrants. Parties remain on the ballot if they have registration equal to three percent of the vote cast in the last election. The party has been on the ballot continuously starting in 1983, when it won a lawsuit against the old law on how a party remains on the ballot, Vogler v Miller. In 1990 it elected the Governor and in 1992 elected a state legislator.