Daily Newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts Story on United Independent Party’s Registration Drive

Posted on by November 18, 2014
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The Republican, daily newspaper for Springfield, Massachusetts, has this story about the United Independent Party’s voter registration drive. The party needs to increase its registration during the next period so as to maintain ballot status after the November 2016 election. It is ballot-qualified now, but it will lose that status in November 2016 unless it either has registration of 1% of the state total, or unless it runs a presidential nominee who gets 3% of the vote. Massachusetts doesn’t have any statewide elections in 2016 except for President.

The Massachusetts daily newspapers have given a great deal of publicity to the United Independent Party. Generally Massachusetts daily newspapers don’t cover minor parties very well.

The Massachusetts law letting parties obtain and keep party status if they have registration of 1% was created in 1990, but no party has ever made use of it.

Florida Legislature Determines that November 4 Election for One Legislative Seat was Illegitimate

Posted on by November 18, 2014
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On November 18, the Florida legislature determined that the November 4 election for State House district 64 was not legal. As a result, a special election is needed. See this story.

Florida law says that when all the candidates for a particular partisan office are from the same party, then the primary for that particular office is open to all voters. In the case of District 64, there was a dispute over whether a write-in candidate who filed for the race was a valid candidate. If he was a valid candidate, then the primary should have been open only to Republican voters. If the write-in candidate was not a valid candidate, then the primary should have been open to all voters.

The write-in candidate did not live in the district. A trial court ruled that he was not a valid candidate, and an open primary was held. Before the primary was held, but after the ballots had been printed, the state court of appeals ruled that the write-in candidate was a valid candidate. The state court of appeals said the state constitution does not permit the state to disallow a write-in candidate on the basis that he or she doesn’t live in the district, because candidates whose names are on the ballot do not need to meet that residency requirement, and there is no basis to discriminate against write-in candidates.

Because the state court of appeals decision came too late, the “wrong type of primary” was held, and now the legislature has determined that the process was therefore flawed and of no effect. In the meantime, the State Supreme Court will be deciding whether the State Court of Appeals was correct.

Libertarian, Green, and Constitution Parties Each Gain in Ballot Status Relative to Four Years Ago

Posted on by November 18, 2014
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The Libertarian Party is now on the ballot for president in 2016 in thirty states. By contrast, in mid-November 2010, it was on in twenty-seven states.

The Green Party is now on the ballot for president in 2016 in nineteen states. By contrast, four years ago it was on in fourteen states. For purposes of this sentence, the District of Columbia is treated as a state.

The Constitution Party is now on the ballot for president in 2016 in thirteen states. Four years ago it was on in twelve states.

The Arizona Green Party submitted 30,000 signatures on November 14, so in all likelihood it will soon be on in Arizona. It has almost finished its Maryland petition drive and expects to submit those signatures in December, so it will probably soon be on in 21 states, the most it has ever had following a midterm election.

Relative to four years ago, the Libertarian Party has gained Maryland, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, and lost Ohio.

Relative to four years ago, the Green Party has gained Delaware, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

Relative to four years ago, the Constitution Party has gained New Mexico and Wyoming, and lost Ohio.