February 2015 Ballot Access News Print Edition

Posted on by February 26, 2015
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Ballot Access News
February 1, 2015 – Volume 30, Number 9

This issue was printed on white paper.

Table of Contents

  1. BALLOT ACCESS BILLS INTRODUCED IN SIX STATES
  2. SOUTH DAKOTA BILL MAY BE AMENDED TO EASE DEADLINE
  3. STRAIGHT-TICKET BILLS
  4. VIRGINIA BALLOT ACCESS BILLS LOSE
  5. PENNSYLVANIA BALLOT ACCESS CHAMPION GAINS KEY POST
  6. TWO EVENTS BOLSTER MORE INCLUSIVE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
  7. PROCEDURAL VICTORY FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE BALLOT ACCESS CASE
  8. COURT UPHOLDS VIRGINIA’S DISCRIMINATORY BALLOT FORMAT
  9. U.S. DISTRICT COURT UPHOLDS CALIFORNIA WRITE-IN BAN
  10. MONTANA REPUBLICAN PARTY LEGAL SETBACK
  11. MORE LAWSUIT NEWS
  12. 2014 VOTE FOR GOVERNOR
  13. 2014 VOTE FOR LOWER HOUSE OF STATE LEGISLATURE
  14. VIRGINIA ELECTS AN INDEPENDENT TO LEGISLATURE
  15. MARYLAND GREENS ARE ON BALLOT
  16. N.Y. WORKING FAMILIES PARTY HAS ITS BEST VOTE SHOWING EVER, FOR OFFICE OTHER THAN GOVERNOR
  17. LIBERTARIANS ARE ONLY PARTY THAT FILED INTENT TO QUALIFY IN MAINE
  18. CONSTITUTION PARTY GAINS AN ALABAMA OFFICE-HOLDER
  19. STOP COMMON CORE PARTY SAYS IT WILL CHANGE ITS NAME TO “REFORM”
  20. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL

North Dakota House Passes Bill to Require Special Elections for U.S. Senate

Posted on by February 26, 2015
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On February 24, the North Dakota House passed HB 1181. It requires a special election when there is a vacant U.S. Senate seat. In 36 states, including currently in North Dakota, when a U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant, the Governor appoints a new Senator. The new Senator then serves until the next regularly-scheduled congressional election. See this story.

Maine Ballot Access Bill Has Hearing March 9, Monday

Posted on by February 26, 2015
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Maine LD 507 will be heard in the Joint Committee on State and Local Government on Monday, March 9, at 10 a.m., in room 437 of the State House. This is the bill that sets a cap on the number of signatures needed for a candidate to get on the primary ballot of a party. The requirement could not be greater than 1% of any particular party’s registration. In Maine, only members of parties can sign primary petitions, and it is almost impossible for a small ballot-qualified party to comply with the existing law for statewide office and U.S. House. Those petitions are 2,000 signatures and 1,000 signatures, respectively.

No Maine ballot-qualified party, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, in the last 80 years, has been able to comply with the existing law for either House of Congress. With great difficulty, the Green Party has complied with the existing law twice for Governor. Thanks to Thomas MacMillan for this news.

Fox & Hounds, California Politics Blog, Publishes Article on Whether Top-Two and Poor Voter Turnout are Linked

Posted on by February 26, 2015
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Fox and Hounds has this article, suggesting that California’s exclusion of minor party candidates on the general election ballot is partly responsible for low turnout in November 2014 in California. California has the nation’s biggest drop in general election turnout between November 2010 and November 2014. The article is by Richard Winger.