Virginia law allows all parties to decide whether to nominate by convention or primary. Virginia elects its governors in the odd years following presidential election years. The party will decide on June 16 whether to use a convention or a primary for its statewide nominees in 2013. The forces arguing in favor of a convention argue that, if the party chooses a convention, that would save the taxpayers $3,000,000. The pro-primary forces argues that conventions disenfranchise voters who are overseas, and also that if the party holds a convention, that would deplete the party’s bank account. See this story.

The Independent Green Party expects to place five nominees on the 2012 ballot for U.S. House. If the party succeeds, it will have more 2012 nominees for that office on the ballot in Virginia than any party (other than Democrats and Republicans) since 1916. Back in 1916, the Socialist Party had nominees in nine of the ten districts.

The Independent Green Party petition drives are being helped by the fact that this is the first year that circulators need not live in the candidate’s district, since 1980. The district residency requirement for circulators was declared unconstitutional earlier this year in Lux v Judd.

On May 30, Maceo D. Dixon died. He collapsed while at work, and was age 63. He had been the Socialist Workers Party nominee for U.S. House, 5th Georgia district, in 1982. He is one of only two minor party nominees who ever submitted enough signatures to, in theory, have a chance to qualify for U.S. House in Georgia, ever since the 5% petition was instituted in 1943.

Dixon did not get on the ballot, however. Even though he submitted approximately 50% more signatures than were required, election officials said not enough were valid. The only other minor party member who ever submitted enough signatures to run for U.S. House in Georgia was Libertarian Wayne Parker, who also submitted approximately 50% more signatures than were required. He ran in 2002 in the 11th district. He was also told that his petition lacked sufficient signatures. There have also been a few independent candidates in Georgia who tried very hard, but none succeeded in meeting the 5% petition requirement since 1964. Thanks to The Militant for the news about Dixon.

Georgia does not require any signatures in special congressional elections, and in a few special congressional elections, there have been minor party candidates on the ballot.