Poll for California U.S. Senate Race Shows 18% Will Cast a Blank Ballot and 20% are Undecided

Posted on by October 27, 2016
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California voters will see a November ballot with only two Democrats on the ballot, and no write-in space. On October 27, PPIC released a poll for the Senate race. The poll includes president and some of the statewide ballot measures as well. For the U.S. Senate race, the results are: Kamala Harris 42%; Loretta Sanchez 20%; won’t vote 18%; don’t know yet 20%.

By contrast, in the Presidential race, where five candidates are on the ballot and write-ins are permitted, only 1% of respondents say they won’t vote. The presidential results are: Hillary Clinton 54%; Donald Trump 28%; Gary Johnson 5%; Jill Stein 5%; someone else 2% (volunteered); 1% won’t vote; 4% undecided. It is unfortunate that the poll didn’t include Gloria La Riva, because her name is also on the ballot. See the results here. Thanks to Carla Marinucci for the link.

Common Cause Publishes Report Publicizing One-Candidate Elections for State Legislatures

Posted on by October 27, 2016
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Common Cause has published this report, explaining that in many states, there are very few choices on general election ballots for state legislature. The report especially singles out eight states in which most state legislative races only have one candidate on the November ballot for state legislature. Those states are Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Illinois, Texas, and New Mexico.

This report is very important, because this problem gets virtually no attention from voting rights organizations. Unfortunately, the Common Cause report implies that the problem is caused entirely by gerrymandering. The truth is that the main reason for the lack of candidates are restrictive ballot access laws. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link to the report.

October 2016 Ballot Access News Print Edition

Posted on by October 27, 2016
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Ballot Access News
October 1, 2016 – Volume 32, Number 5

This issue was printed on cream-colored paper.

Table of Contents

  1. U.S. DISTRICT COURT ENJOINS WEST VIRGINIA BALLOT ACCESS RESTRICTION
  2. LIBERTARIANS AND GREENS DO WELL WITH BALLOT ACCESS, DESPITE COURTS
  3. ROCKY DE LA FUENTE BARRED FROM THREE BALLOTS FOR SORE LOSER REASONS
  4. FLORIDA CHANGES RULES TO REMOVE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
  5. COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
  6. MINNESOTA LEAVES TRUMP ON BALLOT
  7. USEFUL FREE BOOK
  8. MINOR PARTY MEMBERS WHO RAN IN TOP-TWO PRIMARIES WITH AT LEAST TWO MAJOR PARTY OPPONENTS, SINCE JULY 2014
  9. U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT
  10. JILL STEIN RECEIVED $456,035 IN PRIMARY SEASON MATCHING FUNDS
  11. PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS
  12. PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT LINES
  13. ALASKA LIBERTARIANS NOMINATE JOE MILLER FOR U.S. SENATE
  14. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL

Federal Lawsuit Filed Against New York Law That Criminalizes Ballot “Selfies”

Posted on by October 27, 2016
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On October 26, three voters in New York filed a federal lawsuit against the New York law that makes it illegal for anyone to photograph one’s voted ballot and show the picture to anyone else. Silberberg v Board of Elections, s.d. See this story, which reveals that 15 states have laws like this.

The story is in the New York Post, which, for some reason, uses a picture of a Washington state ballot, not a New York ballot.