On June 7, the North Carolina House passed HB 32, which lowers the number of signatures for previously unqualified parties, and independent candidates. Existing law requires oveer 85,000 signatures for statewide independent candidates, or new parties. The bill lowers that (for 2012) to approximately 18,000 signatures.

The vote was 66-50. The only legislator who spoke against the bill was Edgar V. Starnes (R-Caldwell) who said that it is bad for society to let anyone participate in electoral politics outside of the Democratic and Republican Parties. The bill now goes to the Senate. The Senate will probably adjourn on June 19. However, if the bill doesn’t pass this year, it will still be alive in 2012, because North Carolina has two-year legislative sessions. Thanks to Jordon Greene for this news.

On June 3, North Carolina HB 32 passed the House Election and Administration Committee. It is set for a vote in the House on June 7. The bill lowers the number of signatures for a previously unqualified party from 2% of the last gubernatorial vote (over 85,000 signatures) to one-fourth of 1% of the number of registered voters as of January 1 of the election year (approximately 18,000 signatures). Statewide independent candidate petitions would be the same number of signatures. District and county independent candidates would need a petition of 1% of the number of registered voters.

The bill also lowers the vote test for a party to remain qualified, to one-fourth of 1% of the vote cast for any statewide race. Thanks to Jordon Greene for this news.

Blogging at this site has been very much limited because I am on vacation and e-mail access is very difficult. That vacation will be ended on June 9. Apologies to those whose comments are hung up in moderation, because e-mail access is so bad that I am unable to free those comments.

On May 31, the Maine House voted on LD 804, which would provide that Maine have a unicameral legislature. Although a majority in the House voted for it, it needed two-thirds and did not get that much support. Thanks to Thomas MacMillan for the news.