The Daily Oklahoman of May 1 has this letter from E. Zachary Knight, decrying the legislature’s refusal to pass ballot access reform this year.
Reply
Kentucky has released new registration data. The only qualified parties in Kentucky are the Republican and Democratic Parties, but Kentucky keeps track of the number of voters who register into five particular unqualified parties. The numbers for the unqualified parties are quite low, because they aren’t named on the voter registration form, and voters must write them in. However, the new data shows gains for these minor parties, and also higher percentages of voters who are registered Republican and independent.
The new percentages are: Democratic 54.57%; Republican 38.07%; independent and miscellaneous 7.23%; Libertarian .097%; Green .023%; Constitution .008%; Reform .003%; Socialist Workers .002%. By contrast, the percentages in November 2012 were: Democratic 54.85%; Republican 37.91%; independent and miscellaneous 7.12%; Libertarian .086%; Green .021%; Constitution .007%; Reform .003%; Socialist Workers .002%.
The numbers for the April 16, 2013 tally are: Democratic 1,667,073; Republican 1,162,785; independent and miscellaneous 220,703; Libertarian 2,970; Green 713; Constitution 245; Reform 99; Socialist Workers 63. The numbers for November 2012 were: Democratic 1,665,853; Republican 1,151,331; independent and miscellaneous 216,333; Libertarian 2,615; Green 637; Constitution 226; Reform 92; Socialist Workers 66. Thanks to Ken Moellman and Paullie for the data.
On May 1, Nebraska LB 349 passed the legislature unanimously. It is an omnibus election law bill. Among other provisions, it repeals the law that says if a voter votes in a presidential primary, he or she can’t sign for an independent presidential candidate. Assuming the Governor signs the bill, Texas will then be the only state in which primary voters are not permitted to sign a petition for either a newly-qualifying party or an independent candidate.
The Nebraska bill is the third bill to improve ballot access that has passed in any state legislature this year, as far as is known. The other two were in Virginia and Montana, and each of those two bills has been signed into law.
In 2012, Jill Stein attempted the Nebraska independent presidential petition, but fell short. It is possible she would have been on the ballot if this bill had been passed before the 2012 election.
On April 30, the three candidates on the ballot for U.S. House, South Carolina First District, debated each other. However, the debate was not televised. It was sponsored by the NAACP of Goose Creek, and was held the evening of April 30. No news article have been found that describes the debate, but here is a story saying it would take place. Thanks to Michael for the link.
Virgil Goode, Constitution Party presidential nominee in 2012, is one of two co-plaintiffs in a case now pending in the Alabama Supreme Court that says the Alabama Secretary of State has a duty to examine the qualifications of presidential candidates before printing their names on the ballot. Briefs from both sides have been filed, and the Court will wait for a reply brief and then decide whether to hear the case. It is McInnish v Chapman, 1120465. The lead attorney is Larry Klayman. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for this news.