Idaho Will Hold its Second Presidential Primary for a Party Other than the Republican and Democratic Parties

Posted on by December 4, 2015
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Three presidential candidates have filed to be on the Idaho Constitution Party’s presidential primary ballot: Scott Copeland, Patrick Anthony Ockander, and J. R. Myers. They each paid $1,000 to be on the ballot. The primary will be March 8. Past Idaho presidential primaries were always in May, and no party had presidential primaries in Idaho in 2012; they used caucuses.

This will be the second minor party presidential primary in Idaho history. Idaho did not have presidential primaries until 1976, and the state won’t print up primary ballots for parties unless they have at least two candidates for any particular office. In 1976 the American Party had a presidential primary. The vote was: John Rarick 409; Thomas Anderson 261; uncommitted 92. Despite the outcome, the party nominated Lester Maddox. Thanks to Floyd Whitley for the news, and thanks to Michael for a reminder about 1976.

U.S. Supreme Court Sets Conference Date for Arizona Voter Registration Case

Posted on by December 3, 2015
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The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Arizona Libertarian Party v Bennett, 15-598, on January 8, 2016. This is the case over Arizona’s voter registration form, which lists only the two largest parties and gives a checkbox for each, even though the state has four parties entitled to their own primary.

Green Party is Only Party to Have a Contested Primary in Illinois 5th U.S. House District

Posted on by December 3, 2015
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The Green Party is not ballot-qualified for statewide office in Illinois, but it is ballot-qualified in two U.S. House districts. Illinois is one of the few states in which a party that is not qualified statewide can be qualified in just part of the state. In Illinois, all qualified parties nominate by primary.

Both Green Party U.S. House districts have multiple candidates. In the 5th district in Chicago’s north side, the three Greens running are Rob Sherman, Warren Grimsley, and Richard Mayers. By contrast, only one candidate filed in the Democratic primary: the incumbent, Mike Quigley. No one filed in the Republican primary.

In the 12th district in the southern part of the state, the two candidates who filed in the Green primary are Paula Bradshaw and Sadona Folkner.

The deadline for anyone to file a primary petition challenge is Monday, December 7. So far no petition challenges have been filed in either Green Party primary. Mayers has political views that are not consistent with the Green Party.

U.S. Pacific Territories Enjoy a Little Political Power in Republican Presidential Contest

Posted on by December 3, 2015
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According to this article, all the leading Republican presidential candidates are sending campaign aides to the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. The article doesn’t mention Guam specifically, but it is likely that the points in the article apply to Guam also.

The reason is not so much for the presidential candidates to win the small number of delegates that the Pacific territories have. Instead it is because of the rule that says no one can be placed in nomination at the convention unless he or she has a majority in at least eight states or territories. For that purpose, all states and territories are equally important.

Now is the Time to Ask State Legislators to Introduce Bills Next Year

Posted on by December 3, 2015
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Early and mid-December is always the best time for individuals to ask state legislators to introduce bills for the following year. There are already some states in which activists are working to get bills to improve the ballot access laws, including California, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Efforts in many more states are needed.

Some state legislatures require legislators to introduce bills very early in the session. Indiana requires them to be introduced by the end of 2015 if they are to be considered during 2016.