On January 31, the Nebraska Senate Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee amended LB 759. The original bill repeals the residency requirement for petition circulators, but also required circulators to wear a badge. However, the bill has now been amended to delete the badge requirement.
On February 3, U.S. District Court Judge William J. Haynes invalidated Tennessee’s new ballot access law for minor parties. The case is Green Party of Tennessee and Constitution Party of Tennessee v Hargett, 3:11-00692. The decision is 90 pages. It strikes down the early April petition deadline, and also strikes down the 40,029 signature petition requirement. And, it says that it is unconstitutional to force minor parties to nominate by primary, at least in the context of an open primary state that doesn’t have party registration. It strikes down the 2011 law that reserves the best positions on the ballot for the two major parties.
The decision also puts the Constitution and Green Parties on the 2012 ballot, based on the evidence that in the recent past, both parties did collect several thousand signatures on petitions to get on the Tennessee ballot.
On February 3, an administrative law judge in Georgia ruled that President Obama’s name should be left on the Georgia Democratic presidential primary. The 10-page decision finds that the witnesses who testified that President Obama was not born in Hawaii did not establish any credentials as experts. He also ruled that “natural born citizen” means anyone (with very limited exceptions) who was born in the United States.
On February 3, the Federal Election Commission announced that it has approved Buddy Roemer’s matching funds submission. Roemer is the only presidential candidate who has even applied so far. Jill Stein is working hard on qualifying. Candidates need to raise at least $5,000 in each of twenty states to qualify. Donations larger than $250 are legal, but for purposes of primary season matching funds, a contribution greater than $250 only counts as $250.
On the afternoon of February 3, Associated Press carried this article, explaining the status of Texas redistricting. It is puzzling that no reporter for mainstream media ever thinks to mention the effect of the Texas muddle on independent candidates and unqualified parties. Petitioning for them can’t start until the primary is held.
