On March 28, the Eleventh Circuit denied a request from Georgia to rehear Green Party of Georgia v Kemp, 13-11816. The state’s request had been pending since January 27. The issue is whether Georgia’s ballot access procedures for president (for minor parties and independent candidates) is too difficult. A petition of 1% of the number of registered voters is required, and each petition sheet must be notarized. Approximately 50,000 signatures are required. No one has completed that petition in Georgia in 14 years.

The U.S. District Court had upheld the law without even waiting for evidence to be entered into the record, but the 11th circuit had sent the case back to the U.S. District Court, with language indicating that the requirement is somewhat likely to be unconstitutional. Now the U.S. District Court will hold a trial.

On March 29, the Iowa Supreme Court agreed to hear Narcisse v Iowa Secretary of State, 14-0512. The issue is whether Jonathan Narcisse should be on the June 3 Democratic primary ballot as a candidate for Governor. If he does not get on that ballot, there will be only one candidate listed for Governor for Democrats.

Jonathan Narcisse needed 4,113 signatures, by March 14. He submitted 383 petition sheets. However, on 35 of his sheets, the blank line that asks what the candidate is running for was not filled in. As a result, he is eleven signatures short of qualifying. A lower state court refused to put him on the ballot. The three individuals who circulated the petitions with the missing information testified in court that they always explained to potential signers what Narcisse is running for. The lower court said evidence of that type cannot be considered.

In the Iowa Supreme Court, the briefs from both sides are due on March 31 at noon, and it is possible the court will issue an opinion within the next few days. The state would prefer to start printing primary ballots on March 31 but will probably wait a few days.

Narcisse points out that in 2012, a Democratic candidate for State Senator submitted some petition sheets that omitted his county of residence, and he was still permitted to be on the primary ballot.

Ballot Access News
March 1, 2014 – Volume 29, Number 10

1. BALLOT ACCESS PROGRESS IN LEGISLATURES OF 8 STATES
2. MISSISSIPPI SECRETARY OF STATE INTERPRETS PARTY DEADLINE
3. CALIFORNIA KEEPS AMERICANS ELECT ON BALLOT
4. CONGRESS
5. NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE PLAN BILLS
6. NEW BALLOT ACCESS LAWSUITS FILED
7. MORE LAWSUIT NEWS
8. BOOK REVIEW: THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
9. INDEPENDENT FILING FOR 2014
10. 2014 PETITIONING FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE
11. CENTRIST PARTIES QUALIFY IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND HAWAII
12. MARIANNE WILLIAMSON CAMPAIGN
13. LIBERTARIANS, GREENS, SET 2014 NATIONAL CONVENTIONS
14. NEW INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES FOR CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE OFFICE
15. DEMOCRATS WILL RUN NO ONE FOR U.S. SENATE IN ALABAMA
16. INDEPENDENT AMERICAN PARTY HAS AFFILIATES ON BALLOT IN FOUR STATES
17. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL
    

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