Ed Kilgore, a Democratic Party-aligned political consultant and writer, says here in New York Magazine that the New York legislature should amend the law that won’t let voters switch parties in the period starting 193 days before a primary. That deadline is far more extreme than any other state’s deadline.
On May 20, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson, a Bush Jr. appointee, ruled against the Libertarian Party of Ohio in the last remaining claim in the party’s ballot access claim, which had been filed in 2013. Libertarian Party of Ohio v Husted, s.d., 2:13cv-953. That last remaining claim was the party’s contention that in 2014, when the state removed the party’s gubernatorial nominee from the primary ballot, that was selective enforcement. The law, requiring petitioners to list their employer on each petition sheet, had never before been enforced.
The 17-page opinion says that the party did not prove that the state intended to discriminate against it. The order says that much of the evidence submitted by the party doesn’t refer to state actors, just to private parties, such as officials of the John Kasich re-election campaign.
Justin Ashbrook has created this Change.org petition, asking CNN to include all presidential candidates who will be on the ballot in enough states to theoretically win the election, in CNN polls. Thanks to GreenPartyWatch for the link.
Laurence Kotlikoff, an economist, author, and expert on Social Security, has launched a write-in bid for President. He intends to file for declared write-in status in all states that have such a procedure. See this story. His web page is kotlikoff2016.com.
He doesn’t seek campaign contributions, and would probably say he is running as a write-in so that he need not spend money on ballot access petitions. He is probably the best-known person ever to run for President in the general election and yet depend entirely on write-ins in all states.
Kotlikoff was also interested in running for President in 2012, and he sought the Americans Elect nomination that year. However, Americans Elect decided not to run anyone for President in 2012.
On May 19, the Oklahoma legislature passed SB 1016. It alters the voter registration forms. Applicants will still be asked to choose a party, or independent status. But there will not longer be any checkboxes for any particular party. Applicants will write in the name of the party they wish to join. Thanks to E. Zachary Knight for this news.
