Tennessee Ballot Access Bill Advances

Posted on by March 14, 2014
Reply

On March 12, a Subcommittee of the Tennessee House Local Government Committee passed HB 958, which is authored by Representative Jason Powell (D-Nashville). The bill lowers the number of signatures for a newly-qualifying party from 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote (over 40,000 signatures) to exactly 2,500 signatures. A group that submitted that petition would remain ballot-qualified for two elections.

A similar bill in the Senate, SB 1091, has a hearing in the Senate State and Local Government Committee on February 18.

Nevada Green Party Nominates its First Candidates Since 2010

Posted on by March 14, 2014
Reply

The Nevada Green Party has nominated David Gibson for Governor, and Tim Reinhardt for Secretary of State. They are the first Green Party nominees in Nevada since 2010. The party did not appear on the 2012 ballot. In order to get back on the ballot, the party will need 9,738 valid signatures by April 11.

In 1986, the Libertarian Party defeated Nevada’s April petition deadline in U.S. District Court, and the state did not appeal, and moved the deadline for newly-qualifying parties to June. In 1992, a U.S. District Court enjoined that June petition deadline, in a case filed by the New Alliance, Natural Law, and Populist Parties. The legislature then moved the deadline to July. However, in recent years, the legislature has moved the deadline back to April.

Nevada currently has four ballot-qualified parties: Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, and Independent American (which is affiliated with the national Constitution Party). UPDATE: here is a newspaper story that summarizes candidate filings for the statewide offices.

Arkansas News Story on Pending Lawsuit Over March Petition Deadline for Independent Candidates

Posted on by March 14, 2014
Reply

Arkansas News has this story about the lawsuit pending in U.S. District Court, Moore v Martin. The case challenges the March petition deadline for non-presidential independents that the 2013 session of the legislature passed. The case was filed on February 6. So far, no briefs in the case have been filed.

New Pennsylvania Voter Registration Data

Posted on by March 14, 2014
Reply

As of March 10, 2014, here are the percentages of Pennsylvania voters registered in each party: Democratic 49.72%, Republican 36.85%, Libertarian .55%, others and independent 12.87%. Efforts are underway to learn how many voters are registered in the Green and Constitution Parties.

In November 2012, the percentages were: Democratic 49.78%, Republican 37.11%, Libertarian .47%, Green .16%, Constitution .05%, other and independent 12.43%.

The March 10, 2014 totals are: Democratic 4,089,866; Republican 3,030,658; Libertarian 45,340; other and independent 1,059,378.

The Libertarian Party now exceeds one-half of 1% of the state total. It is the first Pennsylvania party, other than the two major parties, to have registration above one-half of 1% since 1934, when the Socialist Party last had registration that high. Past issues of the Pennsylvania Manual contain voter registration data. Back in 1934, the Socialist Party was electing a few state legislators in Pennsylvania, from Berks County.

Montana Supreme Court Still Hasn’t Decided Whether to Remove Top-Two Ballot Measure from November 2014 Ballot

Posted on by March 14, 2014
Reply

On November 27, 2013, some opponents of the Montana top-two ballot measure filed a case in the State Supreme Court, asking the Court to remove the measure from the November 2014 ballot. A few days later, the same groups also filed a separate case in the same court against another ballot measure, asking the voters if they wish to eliminate election-day registration.

The Montana Supreme Court ruled on the election-day registration lawsuit on February 5, 2014. The Court kept the measure on election-day registration on the ballot. However, the Montana Supreme Court still hasn’t ruled on the challenge to the top-two measure. Nor has the Court scheduled an oral argument on the matter, although the Court is free to act without oral arguments. All of the briefs were before the Court on February 11. The case is Montana Education Association-Montana Federation of Teachers v State of Montana, OP 13-0789.

The basis for the lawsuit is that Montana law sets a 100-word limit on the description of ballot measures on the ballot, and opponents of the ballot measure say this law was disregarded. The opponents of the ballot measure also say the measure violates the single-subject rule.