Arizona Secretary of State Won’t Bother to Respond to Libertarian-Green Cert Petition on Voter Registration Form

Posted on by November 29, 2015
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The Arizona state government has told the U.S. Supreme Court that it won’t file a response in Arizona Libertarian Party v Bennett, 15-598. This is the case in which the Libertarian and Green Parties are fighting the law that says only the two largest parties should have their own checkbox on the voter registration form. The Libertarian and Green Parties are also on the Arizona ballot and they nominate by primary, just as the Democratic and Republican Parties do.

The Arizona law is especially harmful to the Green Party, because it never has enough registered members to remain ballot-qualified. Chances are, if the Arizona form mentioned the Green Party as a registration choice, after a few years Green registration would rise high enough so that it would remain on the ballot.

If the Supreme Court asks Arizona to respond, then Arizona will respond. The Court hasn’t yet set a conference date for this case.

November 2015 Ballot Access News Print Edition

Posted on by November 28, 2015
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Ballot Access News
November 1, 2015 – Volume 31, Number 6

This issue was printed on purple paper.

Table of Contents

  1. TOP-TWO PRIMARY SYSTEM LOSES SUPPORT
  2. MAINE INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING
  3. NEW CANADA GOVERNMENT PLEDGED TO ELECTION REFORM
  4. LARRY LESSIG ASKS NBC FOR EQUAL TIME
  5. SUPREME COURT WON’T HEAR PRIMARY CASES
  6. ACLU SUES CALIFORNIA OVER DISCRIMINATORY LAW ON PARTY LABELS
  7. NEW MEXICO SECRETARY OF STATE WON’T LET PETITIONS CIRCULATE NOW
  8. CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE REFUSES TO TALLY INDEPENDENT PARTY REGISTRATIONS
  9. LAWSUIT NEWS
  10. BALLOT ACCESS FOR 2016 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES
  11. 2016 PETITIONING FOR PRESIDENT
  12. GALLUP POLLING DECISION AND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
  13. EMMA MAR, FIRST ASIAN TO APPEAR ON A BALLOT FOR NATIONAL OFFICE, DIES
  14. JIM WEBB MAY RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT FOR PRESIDENT
  15. LOUISIANA’S TWO INDEPENDENT LEGISLATORS ARE RE-ELECTED
  16. SOCIALIST PARTY NOMINATES
  17. PROHIBITION PARTY ON IN ARKANSAS
  18. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL

Martin O’Malley and Jill Stein Likely to be the Only Presidential Candidates Who Will Receive Public Funding in January 2016

Posted on by November 28, 2015
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Presidential candidates are free to be raising money now so as to qualify for primary season matching funds. However, the FEC won’t release any such funds until January 4, 2016. It seems likely that in January, two presidential candidates will start receiving the funds. Martin O’Malley has already raised total contributions of $3,234,569, according to his September 30, 2015 campaign finance report, so it seems inevitable he has raised at least $5,000 in each of 20 states, in small amounts (only $250 per donor counts).

Jill Stein also expects to qualify by January 4, 2016. Her campaign has updated the chart on her webpage that shows her progress. See it here.

Of course, many other Republican presidential candidates, as well as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, have also received enough donations to qualify, but they don’t want to accept primary season matching funds, partly because the money comes with strings, relating to how much can be spent in any particular state. Larry Lessig had received enough donations to qualify, but he has withdrawn from the Democratic race.