South Carolina Holds Primary Today, June 12, Yet Candidate Eligibility Battles Still Not Entirely Resolved

Posted on by June 12, 2012
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South Carolina holds its Republican and Democratic primaries (for office other than President) on Tuesday, June 12. According to this story, there is still no decision on whether Paul Thurmond, a Republican running for State Senate, 41st district, is eligible. Presumably the decision will come down very soon.

If Thurmond is found ineligible by a state court, then the Republican Party will have no nominee for the 41st district seat, because all of Thurmond’s Republican opponents have already been disqualified.

Hearing Set on California Bill to Outlaw Paying Voter Registration Workers on a Per-Card Basis

Posted on by June 12, 2012
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On Tuesday, June 19, at 1:30 p.m., the California Senate Elections Committee will hear AB 2058, which makes it illegal to pay registration drive workers on a per-registration card basis. The author is Assemblyman Richard Pan (D-Sacramento). The hearing is in Room 3191.

Under current law, the only method for a party to remain ballot-qualified is for it to increase its registration to over 100,000 members. AB 2058 would make it significantly more difficult for parties to increase their registration. In 2011, an identical bill, SB 205, passed the legislature but was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown.

The same Committee will hear AB 2410, which would bar anyone from running for any elective office if that person, during the past twenty years, has been convicted of a felony involving bribery, embezzlement, or theft of public money. The bill makes no exception for federal office, and therefore violates the U.S. Constitution. States are not permitted to add to the qualifications for federal office.

Peace & Freedom Party Candidate for California State Senate Polls Impressive Write-in Vote

Posted on by June 12, 2012
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At California’s June 5 primary, incumbent State Senator Loni Hancock was the only name on the ballot in the 9th district, which includes Berkeley, much of Oakland (both in Alameda County) and adjoining parts of Contra Costa County, including El Cerrito and parts of Richmond. California still permits write-ins in primaries, and two minor party members filed as write-in candidates.

Peace & Freedom Party member Mary McIlroy polled 768 write-in votes just in the Alameda County part of the district. Here is a link to all the Alameda County write-in totals. Contra Costa County still hasn’t reported its write-ins. Also, Libertarian Party member Lisa Ringer polled 87 write-ins in Alameda County for the same seat. Thanks to Irv Sutley for the link.

McIlroy will appear on the ballot in November, since she placed second to Hancock. The Green Party had endorsed McIlroy, so McIlroy was the beneficiary of organized support from two minor parties.

Public TV Station in San Diego Interview with Gary Kreep

Posted on by June 11, 2012
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KPBS, the Public Television station in San Diego, has this 5-minute interview with Gary Kreep. The election between Kreep and his only opponent for Superior Court Judge in San Diego County is still too close to call. KPBS invited both candidates to appear on the show, but only Kreep accepted. He has been an attorney for the American Independent Party, for Alan Keyes, and others, over whether the California Secretary of State has a duty to investigate the qualifications of presidential candidates who appear on the California ballot.

The election returns, as of 5 p.m. June 11, are: Garland Peed 193,486; Gary Kreep 192,885. There are still over 50,000 votes not counted yet.