Here is an article about the U.S. Senate debate in Arkansas on October 13. All four candidates who are on the ballot were included. They are the nominees of the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, and Green Parties. The debate was hosted by Arkansas’s public TV station.
The Tampa Bay Times politics columnist, Steve Bousquet, says here that the upcoming gubernatorial debate should include Adrian Wyllie, the Libertarian.
British broadcasters are already thinking about the Prime Ministerial debates in advance of the May 7, 2015 general election. See this story, which says that an initial proposal is for one debate between the two major parties, but other debates that include certain other parties. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
The United Independent Party is not ballot-qualified in Massachusetts, but it hopes to become ballot-qualified on November 4, 2014, by polling at least 3% of the vote for Evan Falchuk, its gubernatorial nominee. In the meantime, it is also launching a voter registration drive to gain more registered members. Ever since 1991, a group in Massachusetts can obtain, or retain, qualified status if it has registration equal to at least 1% of the state total.
No group in Massachusetts has ever made a serious attempt to use the 1% registration method. The United Independent Party is aware that even if it becomes ballot-qualified by its gubernatorial vote next month, the Massachusetts 3% vote test applies every two years, and there are no statewide races in Massachusetts in 2016 except president. The United Independent Party doesn’t expect to get involved in the 2016 presidential election because it is just a party concerned with Massachusetts government. Therefore, the party wants to increase its registration so that (assuming it gets qualified status next month) it can retain it beyond the 2016 election.
The party says even if Falchuk doesn’t get 3% for Governor next month, it will still pursue the registration drive. The registration drive will be easier of Falchuk does get 3%, because if he does, Massachusetts will print new voter registration forms that list the United Independent Party as a choice, with its own checkbox. Without qualified status, the United Independent Party can still increase its registration, but the party’s name must be written in on the voter registration form, which takes longer. Here is a copy of a current Massachusetts voter registration form.
On October 13, We Ask America released a poll for the Illinois gubernatorial race. The results: Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn 44%; Republican Bruce Rauner 41%; Libertarian Chad Grimm 7%; undecided 8%. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link.
