Oregon Independent Party Gubernatorial Primary

Posted on by May 28, 2018
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Oregon held primaries on May 15 for the Republican, Democratic, and Independent Parties. In the Independent Party primary, the three strongest candidates for Governor were Knute Buehler (who is the Republican nominee), Kate Brown (the Democratic nominee), and Patrick Starnes, a member of the Independent Party. Starnes’ name was printed on the primary ballot, but candidates who are members of other parties were forced to be write-in candidates in the Independent Party primary.

Most counties still haven’t released their write-in totals, but Clackamas and Marion Counties have done so. Based on the vote in those two counties, it is overwhelmingly likely that Starnes won the primary. Thanks to Dan Meek for this information.

Irrational New York Rules for Petitioning Period Prevent Libertarian Party from Running for U.S. Senate in New York This Year

Posted on by May 27, 2018
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New York state is operating under a court order that says the petitioning period for state and local office, for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties, is the period July 10 through August 21. But, the petitioning period for federal office is June 19-July 31.

These rules are completely irrational. Most states don’t care how early a petition begins to start. Because the Libertarian Party is not a qualified party in New York, it must obey these rules. But if the Libertarian Party were to circulate a petition this year that includes both Governor and U.S. Senator, the period would be July 10 through July 31, only three weeks.

In theory the party could circulate one petition for U.S. Senate, and a separate petition for Governor, but that would be a great deal of work, so the party is staying out of the U.S. Senate race, and its 2018 statewide petition just has Governor and the other statewide state offices (Lieutenant Governor paired with Governor; Attorney General; Comptroller).

Everything in this post relates to any other unqualified party as well, but as far as is known, the Libertarian Party is the only unqualified party that expects to circulate a statewide petition in New York this year.

May 2018 Ballot Access News Print Edition

Posted on by May 26, 2018
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Ballot Access News
May 1, 2018 – Volume 33, Number 12

This issue was printed on white paper.

Table of Contents

  1. PROCEDURAL WIN AGAINST OUT-OF-STATE CIRCULATOR BANS IN NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA
  2. OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE PASSES BALLOT ACCESS BILL
  3. MAINE RANKED CHOICE VOTING SURVIVES LEGAL CHALLENGE
  4. ELEVENTH CIRCUIT STAYS EX-FELON ORDER
  5. ALASKA DEMOCRATS WIN RIGHT TO NOMINATE A NON-MEMBER
  6. DISOBEDIENT COLORADO ELECTORS LOSE IN LOWER COURT
  7. TWELVE STATES NOW HAVE AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION
  8. SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN VOTERS TO BE ASKED ABOUT PARTY REGISTRATION
  9. FLORIDA VOTERS WON’T BE ABLE TO VOTE ON PRIMARY CHANGE
  10. WISCONSIN WILL RETAIN ELECTIONS FOR STATE TREASURER
  11. ARKANSAS TRIES TO BLOCK INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE WHO WON BALLOT ACCESS CASE
  12. LEGISLATIVE NEWS
  13. LAWSUIT NEWS
  14. INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES ARE LOSING THEIR LABEL
  15. WHEN IS THE LAST TIME EACH STATE PRINTED “INDEPENDENT” ON BALLOT?
  16. ILLINOIS LEGISLATOR LEAVES REPUBLICAN PARTY
  17. MEXICO PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
  18. INDIANA MAY GET ITS FIRST INDEPENDENT U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE
  19. MINOR PARTY ELECTION WINS
  20. TIM CANOVA LEAVES DEMOCRATIC PARTY, WILL RUN FOR CONGRESS AS AN INDEPENDENT
  21. MONTANA DEMOCRATS SUE TO REMOVE GREEN PARTY FROM MONTANA BALLOT
  22. MICHIGAN LIBERTARIANS HAVE CONTESTED PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR
  23. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL

Fewer Minor Party Candidates for State Legislature Will be on November 2018 Ballot in Washington

Posted on by May 26, 2018
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Washington state has a top-two system. In top-two systems, no minor party candidate ever qualifies for the November ballot unless there is only one major party candidate in the primary, in that same race.

In November 2016, ten Libertarians appeared on the ballot for state legislature, because they all filed in districts with only one major party candidate. For 2018, there will be only four such legislative races. The four lucky Libertarians who will automatically place second in the August primary, and thus appear on the November ballot, are: State Senate 36 Bryan Simonson; Representative 22(2) Allan Acosta; Representative 36(1) Sydney Wissel; and Representative 36(2) Matt Dubin.

No other Washington minor parties had any candidates on the November 2016 ballot (except for President), and no others will have one on the November 2018 ballot.