The Socialist Party has notified the Texas Secretary of State that it will try to qualify for the Texas ballot in 2016. Texas has a unique law that requires unqualified parties to tell the state if they intend to qualify. The petition cannot start until March 9, 2016.
U.S. News & World Report has this interview with Ralph Nader about the 2016 presidential candidates.
The Green Party is not ballot-qualified in Illinois, but it is ballot-qualified in two U.S. House districts in Illinois, and it nominates by primary in those two districts. In the 5th district in Chicago, three Greens filed and two of them were challenged. Richard Mayers was removed from the Green Party primary ballot on the grounds that he is not registered to vote. Rob Sherman remained on the ballot. He will face Warren Grimsley in the March primary.
Both the Ninth and Tenth Circuits have ruled that states cannot require candidates for Congress to be registered voters. But Illinois is in the Seventh Circuit, where the issue has never been litigated. The Green Party is not sympathetic to Richard Mayers because his political views do not match the party’s values.
Cook Political Report has this chart of all states and territories, giving the date of Republican caucuses and primaries in time order. The chart also shows which voters may participate. The Cook Report uses the term “mixed” to describe places in which independents can choose a Republican presidential primary.
The Cook chart is incorrect for Arizona. The Arizona Republican primary is closed, but the Cook Report says it is open. Also the Cook chart says Ohio is mixed, but it is open.
Finally, the chart shows how many delegates each state sends to the Republican convention. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.
Utah Representative Patrice Arent (D-Millcreek) has introduced HB 119 to eliminate the Utah straight-ticket device. It has a Republican co-sponsor, but the Republican Party opposes the bill. See this story.
