January 2017 Ballot Access News Print Edition

Ballot Access News
January 1, 2017 – Volume 32, Number 8

This issue was printed on white paper.


Table of Contents

  1. TEN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS TRY TO USE INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT; SEVEN SUCCEED
  2. LAWSUIT NEWS
  3. 2016 U.S. HOUSE VOTE
  4. 2016 U.S. SENATE VOTE
  5. 2016 GUBERNATORIAL VOTE
  6. 2016 PRESIDENTIAL VOTE FOR TOP EIGHT CANDIDATES
  7. MINOR PARTY NON-PARTISAN WINS
  8. GREEN BEATS GOP IN D.C.
  9. LIBERTARIANS IN TWO-WAY RACES CARRY COUNTIES IN TWO STATES
  10. GREENS AGAIN WIN PRESIDENCY OF AUSTRIA
  11. LIBERTARIANS GAIN A COUNTY LEGISLATOR IN ILLINOIS
  12. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL

Associated Press Story Explains the Three Pending Lawsuits Over Kansas Voter Registration

The upcoming April special election for U.S. House in the Kansas 4th district has put the spotlight on the three pending lawsuits against Kansas voter registration restrictions. The existence of the special election may cause one or more of these cases to be decided more quickly than otherwise. See this story.

Bills in Two States to Use Instant Runoff for All Partisan Elections

Bills have been introduced in Connecticut and Hawaii to use Instant Runoff Voting for all partisan elections. They are in Connecticut and Hawaii. A similar bill in Virginia has already been defeated.

The Connecticut bill is HB 6153, by Representative Josh Elliott, a Democrat. The Hawaii bill is SB 824, by Senator Russell Ruderman (D-Puna).

The Virginia bill had been HB 2315, by Delegate Nicholas Freitas (R-Culpeper). It was tabled by the House Committee on January 26. Thanks to Fairvote for this information.

Twenty-four Presidential Candidates Received At Least 1,000 Votes in November 2016

Twenty-four individuals who were actually running for president in November 2016 received at least 1,000 recorded votes. This does not include individuals who were not running for president in November, such as Bernie Sanders, but who nevertheless received hundreds of thousands of write-in votes, most of which were not counted or reported.

The final totals for these twenty-four appear to be:

Hillary Clinton 65,844,954, Democrat, Working Families, Women’s Equality
Donald Trump 62,979,879, Republican, Conservative, American Independent
Gary Johnson 4,488,919, Libertarian, Independence of New York
Jill Stein, 1,457,045, Green
Evan McMullin, 732,001, independent, Better for America, Independence of S.C. & Mn.
Darrell Castle, 203,024, Constitution
Gloria La Riva, 74,397, Socialism & Liberation, Peace & Freedom, Liberty Union
Rocky De La Fuente, 33,136, independent, Reform, American Delta
Richard Duncan, 24,308, independent
Dan Vacek, 13,537, Legal Marijuana Now
Alyson Kennedy, 12,467, Socialist Workers
Michael Smith, 9,352, independent
Chris Keniston, 7,254, Veterans
Michael Maturen, 6,765, American Solidarity
Lynn Kahn, 5,730, independent, New Independent Party of Iowa
Jim Hedges, 5,617, Prohibition
Thomas Hoefling, 4,856, America’s Party
Monica Moorehead, 4,319, Workers World
Laurence Kotlikoff, 3,604, independent
Peter Skewes, 3,250, American Party of South Carolina
Rocky Giordani, 2,752, Independent American Party of Utah
Emidio “Mimi” Soltysik, 2,706, Socialist, Natural Law of Michigan
Scott Copeland, 2,356, Constitution Party of Idaho
Kyle Kopitke, 1,096, Independent American of Colorado

I appreciate the help from Wauna Keegan with this, although the totals above are mine, not his. His totals omitted the write-ins from Minnesota.

Montana Green Party is Circulating Petition for Party Status; Hopes to Finish in Time for Likely Special U.S. House Election

The Montana Green Party is circulating the petition for party status, which requires 5,000 signatures. The party hopes to complete the drive in time to participate in any special U.S. House election that may be called if Congressman Ryan Zinke resigns to become Secretary of Interior. He won’t resign until he is confirmed, so the date of the election is unknown.

Jill Stein was on the November 2016 ballot in Montana as the Green Party nominee, but she didn’t receive enough votes to qualify the party. She received 7,970 votes, but the law required her to get 12,797 to turn the party into a qualified party.