March 2015 Ballot Access News Print Edition

Posted on by March 29, 2015
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Ballot Access News
March 1, 2015 – Volume 30, Number 10

This issue was printed on cream paper.

Table of Contents

  1. CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEALS UPHOLDS TOP-TWO IN A DEEPLY FLAWED DECISION
  2. TURNOUT CHANGE
  3. OKLAHOMA BALLOT ACCESS BILL PASSES COMMITTEE
  4. SOUTH DAKOTA SENATE OK’s BILL TO MAKE ACCESS HARDER
  5. BILLS TO EASE BALLOT ACCESS INTRODUCED IN FOUR MORE STATES
  6. NEW HAMPSHIRE BALLOT ACCESS BILL LOSES IN COMMITTEE
  7. CONSTITUTION PARTY WINS MISSOURI CASE
  8. OTHER LAWSUIT NEWS
  9. STRAIGHT-TICKET DEVICE BILLS
  10. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY TIMING BILLS
  11. RIGHT TO VOTE AMENDMENT
  12. 2014 VOTE FOR STATE SENATE
  13. MISSOURI INDEPENDENT LEGISLATOR
  14. MERLIN MILLER HELPS FORM A NEW POLITICAL PARTY
  15. INDEPENDENT PARTY QUALIFIES FOR ITS OWN PRIMARY IN OREGON
  16. AMERICANS ELECT DISQUALIFIED IN CALIFORNIA
  17. DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND PROHIBITION PARTY CHOOSE CONVENTION SITES
  18. ERRATA
  19. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL

New York Times Publishes Analysis of Whether Divisive Presidential Primaries Injure Presidential Nominees

Posted on by March 29, 2015
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The New York Times has published Professor Brendan Nyhan’s analysis of whether divisive presidential primary contests injure the eventual presidential nominee who survives the process.  Nyhan finds that a competitive presidential primary campaign does not injure that party or its nominee.  Read it here.  Nyhan also rebuts the idea that contested primaries force Republican nominees “to the right” of where they would be otherwise.  And his analysis links to research that shows open primaries do not necessarily produce more moderate nominees.

Also, on March 14, the San Diego Union-Tribune published an op-ed by political scientists Ethan Rarick and Thad Kousser, “Top-two primary shows little political impact.”  Thanks to Gene Armistead for that link.

Libertarian and Green Parties Each Entitled to Presidential Primaries in 2016 in At Least Six States

Posted on by March 28, 2015
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The Libertarian Party and the Green Party, at this point, are each entitled to presidential primaries in six jurisdictions for 2016.  That number could conceivably increase if the parties complete various ballot access petitions between now and 2016 deadlines.

Libertarians have the right to their own presidential primaries in Arizona, California, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, and North Carolina.  Greens have them in Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio.

The Constitution Party has a presidential primary in Missouri.

Technically, the Libertarian and Green Parties could also have a presidential primary in Delaware, except that the law requires so many signatures for a presidential candidate to get on the presidential primary ballot in those states (and only party members can sign) that in fact the primary can’t be used.

Montana Republican Senators Almost Introduced a Bill to Put Top-Two System on 2016 Ballot

Posted on by March 28, 2015
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According to this story, Republican Senators in Montana almost introduced a bill to put a top-two system on the November 2016 for voters to decide whether or not to implement it.  The measure was drafted for Senator Fred Thomas (R-Stevensville), but he did not introduce it because the Republican leadership in the Senate decided not to support the idea.  Thanks to Mike Fellows for the link.

The story quotes one Republican Senator as saying “the beauty of the top-two system” is that the winner is determined by a majority.  A top-two system does not necessarily mean election by a majority of the voters who cast ballots.  Under top-two systems, a large proportion of the voters who cast a vote simply leave the office blank when they don’t like the listed choices.  In the California November 2012 election for U.S. House, 31st district, 23.1% of the voters who cast a ballot simply left U.S. House blank.