This story says that earlier press reports that Maine Governor Paul LePage would ask the legislature for a later petition deadline, for primary candidates, are incorrect. The story also mentions the very large field of Maine major party politicians who will be petitioning to get on the Democratic or Republican primary ballots for either U.S. Senate, or one of the two U.S. House seats. All this is because U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe said yesterday that she will not run for re-election.

Some press reports have speculated that Snowe might be a possible Americans Elect nominee for either President or Vice-President, but Snowe herself has not said anything about Americans Elect. Thanks to Alex Hammer for the link.

On February 28, the Arizona Senate passed SCR 1021, which would put a ballot measure on the November 2012 ballot, asking voters if they wish to stop funding public funding for candidates for state office. The vote was 21-9. All Republicans voted “Yes” and all Democrats voted “No.” Now the measure goes to the House.

On February 27, the Florida Secretary of State said that America’s Party is now ballot-qualified. It had been formed in the summer of 2008 by Alan Keyes, after he lost the race for the Constitution Party presidential nomination. In 2008 it was called America’s Independent Party.

After three years of electoral inactivity, the party has now changed its name to America’s Party, and in an on-line national presidential convention on the evening of February 18, chosen Thomas Hoefling for president and J. D. Ellis for vice-president. Here is the campaign web page. The party re-qualified in Florida by submitting a new set of bylaws that conform to the state’s rather fussy requirements, and by submitting a list of officers who are registered members of that party. It is the first party to have been eliminated from the Florida ballot by the new bylaws requirements that has now successfully re-filed.

It is not known if Alan Keyes is still interested in the party. He did not participate in the on-line voting for the 2012 presidential nomination.

It seems somewhat likely that the Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers Party, and the Prohibition Party may also re-file successfully in Florida.