This National Review article says U.S. Senator Rand Paul is likely to file a constitutional ballot access lawsuit in 2015, if the Kentucky legislature doesn’t change the law before then. The current law does not permit anyone to run for two offices simultaneously. Paul would almost certain desire to run for both president and U.S. Senate in 2016.
On May 30, the Michigan Secretary of State said she won’t appeal the May 23 decision of the U.S. District Court in Moore v Johnson. The issue was the law requiring petitioners (for a candidate) to be registered voters. See this story. The legislature is in session for several more months and it is possible the legislature will repeal the restriction this year. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
Ballot Access News
May 1, 2014 – Volume 29, Number 12
| This issue was printed on gray paper. |
Table of Contents
On May 23, the United Independent Party submitted its petition to place its nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor on the November 2014 Massachusetts ballot. The gubernatorial candidate, Evan Falchuk, has been campaigning hard since 2013, and has a well-financed campaign. He is likely to poll at least 3%, and if he does, the United Independent Party will be ballot-qualified for 2016.
Massachusetts is the third state this year in which a new centrist party has petitioned to get on the ballot. The other two are the Independent Party of Hawaii, and the American Party of South Carolina. Thanks to IndependentPoliticalReport for this news.
The Massachusetts Green Party is also expected to appear on the statewide ballot this year, for Secretary of State, Auditor, and Treasurer. it is likely that the Green Party will also be ballot-qualified after the November 2014 votes are counted. And the Massachusetts Constitution Party may also qualify for the Secretary of State’s race, so it might also become a qualified party in Massachusetts this year, for the first time in its history.
On May 28, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed SB 86, which moves the petition deadline for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, from June to August. The change takes effect next year. Because this bill passed, there are only four states with independent presidential deadlines earlier than July: North Carolina, New Mexico, Texas, and Illinois. The Illinois Libertarian Party is currently challenging the Illinois deadline in U.S. District Court.
