Vermont Progressive Party Asks Party Members to Cast a Write-in Vote for Bernie Sanders in Progressive Primary

Posted on by July 18, 2018
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Independent U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders is up for re-election in Vermont this year. The Progressive Party has always been closely associated with Sanders, but Sanders has never run for office under its label. The only labels he has run under have been Liberty Union (decades ago) and independent.

Vermont allows write-ins in party primaries. If the Progressive Party primary is used to nominate Sanders this year via write-ins, it seems plausible he would accept the party’s nomination for the first time. The primaries in Vermont are August 14.

New Mexico Independent Candidate Files Constitutional Lawsuit over Unequal Ballot Access for County Office

Posted on by July 19, 2018
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New Mexico election law generally requires all candidates for Congress and state office to file petitions, to get on the ballot, no matter how they are running. Candidates need petitions to get on a primary ballot; minor party nominees (who are nominated by convention) need petitions; independent candidates need petitions.

But for county office, there is no petition requirement for candidates seeking to get on a primary ballot. However, minor party nominees and independent candidates do need petitions, and the independent petition, 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, is severe.

On July 18, Carol Miller, an independent candidate for Rio Arriba County Commission, filed a lawsuit in state court, arguing that the New Mexico Constitution does not permit the state to require petitions for independent candidates, while not requiring them for major party members. Miller v Padilla, District Court, 6th district, Santa Fe. The case has a hearing on Monday, July 23, at 10 a.m. The New Mexico Constitution says, “Elections shall be free and equal.” The case is based on the State Constitution. UPDATE: here is a news story about the lawsuit.