Currently, Montana requires presidential primary candidates to submit a petition of 500 signatures. Any registered voter may sign. Representative Bryce Bennett (D-Missoula) has introduced HB 288. It would permit candidates to avoid the petition if they pay a filing fee equal to 1% of the annual salary of a U.S. Senator, which is currently approximately $1,800.
Peter Ackerman, founder of Americans Elect and Level the Playing Field, here comments on the February 1 court decision on debates. His commentary, co-authored with the attorney for the lawsuit, appears in Real Clear Politics.
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders was on “Meet the Press” on February 12. He said he is not interested in starting a new party, and says he intends to try to improve the Democratic Party. See this story. Thanks to Irv Sutley for the link.
Zoltan Istvan has announced, via this Newsweek article, that he will run for Governor of California as a Libertarian in 2018.
On Saturday, February 11, each of the three qualified parties in Kansas chose a nominee for U.S. House, 4th district, in a convention. Here is an article about the Libertarian convention.
Here is an article about the Republican convention.
Here is one about the Democratic convention.
