Utah Republican Party Will Continue to Challenge Law that Lets Candidates Get on Primary Ballot by Petition

Posted on by February 27, 2017
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On February 25, the Utah Republican Party changed its mind, and decided to continue to sue over the recent law that lets candidates petition for a spot on the primary ballot, even if they haven’t shown substantial support at a party nominating convention. See this story.

The Republican Party filed the lawsuit in January 2016, and lost in U.S. District Court. Utah Republicans are very uncomfortable with the law, which was passed in 2014. Every state has procedures for candidates to get on a primary ballot even if they lack support at a party meeting, but Utah has not had such a procedure in the past, and Republicans strongly desire to limit candidates in its primary to only those with at least 35% endorsement at a party convention. The lawsuit is Utah Republican Party v Herbert, Tenth Circuit number 16-4058.

North Carolina Bill, Making Local Judicial Races Partisan, Passes House

Posted on by February 27, 2017
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On February 22, the North Carolina House passed HB 100. It makes local judicial elections partisan instead of non-partisan. Assuming the bill passes, all judicial elections in the state will be partisan. Already State Supreme Court elections, and State Appeals Court elections, are partisan.

The bill says independent candidates for local judicial office need a petition of 2% of the number of registered voters. This is lower than the existing requirement for independent candidates for legislature and U.S. House. Independents for those offices need 4% of the number of registered voters. The 4% standard is so difficult, no independent candidate for U.S. House has ever appeared on a North Carolina general election ballot, and only two independents ever appeared for State Senate.

Pennsylvania Green Party Asks State Supreme Court to Put Cheri Honkala on Ballot for Special Legislative Election

Posted on by February 27, 2017
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On February 21, the Pennsylvania Green Party asked the State Supreme Court to put Cheri Honkala on the March 21 special election ballot (for the state representative vacant seat in the 197th district). The case is Green Party of Pennsylvania v Department of State, 11 MAP 2017.

The link to the party’s brief also includes the order of the lower court, which had denied the request. The issue is the deadline for filing paperwork to be on the ballot. The statute appears to contradict itself. One reference in the statute suggests the deadline was January 30, but another suggests it is January 31. The party filed on January 31.

New York Times Carries Obituary for Jerome Tuccille, the Libertarian Party’s Second Gubernatorial Candidate

Posted on by February 26, 2017
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The New York Times has this obituary for Jerome Tuccille. He was tied for being the second Libertarian Party gubernatorial candidate on the ballot in any state. The party had no gubernatorial candidates in any state until 1973, when John Goodson was on in New Jersey. Tuccille got on the ballot in New York in 1974 and polled 10,503 votes. The party only had one other gubernatorial candidate in 1974 on the ballot in any state, in Minnesota. Thanks to Mark Axinn for the link.

February 2017 Ballot Access News Print Edition

Posted on by February 26, 2017
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Ballot Access News
February 1, 2017 – Volume 32, Number 9

This issue was printed on gray paper.

Table of Contents

  1. BILLS TO EASE BALLOT ACCESS PENDING IN ELEVEN STATES
  2. NEW HOPE FOR PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
  3. BILLS TO USE RANKED-CHOICE FOR ALL PARTISAN ELECTIONS
  4. BILLS TO ELIMINATE STRAIGHT-TICKET
  5. BILLS TO INJURE BALLOT ACCESS
  6. MARYLAND GOVERNOR DELETES BALLOT ACCESS IMPROVEMENT
  7. BOOK REVIEW: THE INEVITABLE PARTY
  8. NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE PLAN BILLS
  9. 2016 MINOR PARTY STATE HOUSE VOTE
  10. 2016 MINOR PARTY STATE SENATE VOTE
  11. 2016 PRESIDENTIAL VOTE TOTALS
  12. TWELVE INDEPENDENTS ELECTED TO STATE LEGISLATURES IN 2016
  13. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL