Minor Parties Won At Least 19 Partisan Elections on November 8, 2016

Posted on by November 22, 2016
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It appears there were 19 partisan elections won by minor parties on November 8, 2016. The Progressive Party won the Vermont Lieutenant Governorship and nine state legislative races.

The Green Party won five partisan elections in Michigan and one in Connecticut. The office in Connecticut was Registrar of Voters of New Canaan. The Michigan offices were: (1) County Board in Grand Traverse County; (2) two seats on the Park Commission of Ypsilanti Township, Washtenaw County; (3) one seat on the Park Commission of Holly Township, Oakland County; (4) Town Clerk of Newberg Township, Cass County.

The Libertarian Party won one partisan election in Indiana, one in Kentucky, and one in Michigan. The offices were: (1) Town Judge in Hagerstown, Indiana; (2) County Commission, seat B, in Jefferson County, Kentucky; (3) one seat on the Park Commission of Ypsilanti Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Missouri Erroneously Reports that Presidential Write-in Candidate Marshall Schoenke Received 11,503 Write-Ins

Posted on by November 22, 2016
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Marshall Roy Schoenke was a write-in presidential candidate last week. He was not on the ballot in any state, but he filed for write-in status in some states. On November 21, the Missouri Secretary of State’s web page erroneously reported that he received 11,503 write-ins. This was an error, which the excellent research done by commenters (see the comments below) explain. It is expected that the Secretary of State will correct the error when the final tabulation is complete.

Schoenke and his running mate, James Creighton Mitchell, Jr., both live in Lake County, Illinois, near Chicago.

Thanks to the commenters, especially Mark Dunlap.

Three-Judge U.S. District Court Strikes Down Wisconsin Assembly Districts as an Unconstitutional Partisan Gerrymander

Posted on by November 21, 2016
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On November 21, a 3-judge U.S. District Court struck down Wisconsin’s 2011 redistricting plan for the Assembly, the lower house of the legislature. Whitford v Gill, w.d., 3:15cv-421. Here is the opinion, which was 2-1. The opinion is by Judge Kenneth F. Ripple, a Reagan appointee. It is co-signed by Judge Barbara Crabb, a Carter appointee. The dissent, which is 40 pages, is by Judge William Griesbach, a Bush Jr. appointee.

The plaintiffs are voters who identify with the Democratic Party. Because this was a 3-judge court, the state’s only appeal is to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is very likely to accept the case. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.

Only Six Minor Parties Have Ever Polled as Much as 1% for President Twice, and Two of Them Hit that Level in 2016

Posted on by November 21, 2016
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In all U.S. history, only six minor parties have ever polled as much as 1% of the presidential vote at least twice, and two of those six parties exist today. This statement only applies to parties that had their own presidential nominee, and which didn’t nominate the presidential nominee of some other party.

The six parties, the years they polled at least 1% for president, and their percentages, are:

Free Soil: 1848 10.13%; 1852 4.94%

Greenback: 1880 3.35%; 1884 1.74%

Prohibition: 1884 1.50%; 1888 2.20%; 1892 2.25%; 1900 1.50%; 1904 1.92%; 1908 1.70%; 1912 1.39%; 1916 1.19%

Socialist: 1904 2.98%; 1908 2.83%; 1912 5.99%; 1916 3.16%; 1920 3.43%; 1932 2.23%

Libertarian: 1980 1.06%; 2016 3.29%

Green: 2000 2.74%; 2016 1.02%

The percentages for the Libertarian and Green Parties in 2016 might change slightly before all the votes are counted. They won’t change very much and they are more likely to increase than to decrease.

The four older parties mentioned above were able to see large part of their platforms enacted into policy. This is especially true for the Free Soil, Greenback, and Prohibition Parties, but not quite so true for the Socialist Party.

New Voter Registration National Totals

Posted on by November 21, 2016
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The four nationally-organized third parties that have at least 50,000 registered voters nationwide all made registration gains during 2016.

Libertarians had 411,250 in February 2016, but 499,492 in October 2016.
Greens had 242,023 in February, but 256,560 in October.
Constitution had 77,916 in February, but 92,483 in October.
Working Families had 55,690 in February, but 61,517 in October.

The data for the Republican and Democratic Parties will be posted as soon as the only missing data state, Kansas, furnishes it.