Kentucky elects its statewide state offices in November of the odd years before presidential elections. This year, the Kentucky ballot will include one independent candidate for Governor, Gatewood Galbraith; and one Libertarian Party nominee for Treasurer, Ken Moellman. Each needed at least 5,000 valid signatures. Galbraith submitted 7,496; Moellman submitted 8,100. Both petitions have been approved.

This is the first time the Libertarian Party has ever been on the Kentucky ballot for a statewide office, in a non-presidential year. Neither the Green Party nor the Constitution Party has ever been on the statewide Kentucky ballot in a non-presidential year. There were no independent or minor party candidates on the Kentucky statewide ballot in 2007, nor in 2003.

All four states holding gubernatorial elections this year have at least one minor party or independent candidate on the ballot for Governor. The other states with gubernatorial elections this year are West Virginia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

On August 17, the California Assembly Appropriations Committee passed SB 205 by a party-line vote of 12-5. All Democrats voted “yes” and all Republicans voted “no.” The bill makes it illegal to pay registration workers on a per-registration card basis, “directly or indirectly.” The bill now goes to the Assembly floor.

On August 17, the four candidates for Nevada’s U.S. House seat, for the upcoming special election in the 2nd district, debated each other. See this story. The four candidates are the Republican, Democratic, Independent American Party nominees, and an independent candidate.

In the general election of 2010 in Nevada, no minor party or independent candidates for Congress or Governor were invited to debate their major party opponents, so the special 2011 election represents a gain for inclusive debates in Nevada.