Co-Chair of New York State Board of Elections Now Agrees that Wilson-Pakula Law Does Not Pertain to Presidential Primaries

Posted on by June 22, 2015
Reply

The Gothamist here reports that Doug A. Kellner, co-chair of the New York State Board of Elections and a Democrat, now believes that the New York election law known as Wilson-Pakula does not pertain to presidential primaries. The Wilson-Pakula law says non-members may not run in primaries for other types of office unless party leaders let them run.

The Gothamist article mentions me, although that mention is not perfectly accurate. I did not say presidential primaries are controlled by federal law. They are controlled by state law. Here is a somewhat better story in Capital.

Dr. Ben Carson was a Member of the Independence Party of Florida Between July 24, 2013 and November 4, 2014

Posted on by June 22, 2015
3

Dr. Ben S. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, is a candidate for the Republican Party presidential nomination. He registered to vote in Palm Beach County, Florida, on July 24, 2013, and at that time he registered as a member of the Independence Party. On November 4, 2014, he changed his party affiliation to the Republican Party. See this story.

Before he was registered to vote in Florida, he was registered in Maryland, and while in Maryland he was a registered independent for several decades.

Level the Playing Field, Libertarian Party, and Green Party, Sue FEC over Debates

Posted on by June 22, 2015
4

On June 22, Level the Playing Field, Peter Ackerman, the Libertarian Party, and the Green Party, sued the Federal Election Commission in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. The case asks that the FEC be required to consider the rule-making petition that Level the Playing Field filed nine months ago over presidential general election debates. The case was assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, an Obama appointee. It is styled Level the Playing Field v FEC, 15cv-961.

UPDATE: here is the Associated Press story. FURTHER UPDATE: here is a New York Times mention of the lawsuit. The New York Times snidely added that over 300 people have said they are running for President. It is unfortunate that the New York Times reporter didn’t say that in the entire history of the United States, there has never been a presidential general election with more than 7 candidates who had enough presidential elector candidates to theoretically be elected by the Electoral College.

Randy Evans, Counsel to Past Speakers of the House, Imagines that Sanders and Rand Paul Will Run for President Outside the Major Parties

Posted on by June 22, 2015
9

Randy Evans, a Georgia attorney who served as a counsel to the Speakers of the U.S. House 1994-2006 (years of Republican control) has this article in Atlanta Business Journal, suggesting the idea that Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul might each run for president in 2016 outside the two major parties.