| Page 4480

Arizona Bill Passes House, Provides that Vice-Presidential Candidates' Names Appear on November Ballot

Posted on February 15, 2011 by adminFebruary 15, 2011

On February 14, the Arizona House unanimously passed HB 2335, which provides that vice-presidential nominees’ names should be printed on November ballots. Arizona and North Dakota have been the only two states that don’t print the names of vice-presidential nominees on the November ballot.

The Arizona bill started out this year as a bill to not only put vice-presidential candidates on the ballot, but to stop listing the candidates for presidential elector on the ballot. Only six states still print the names of presidential elector candidates on the ballot, and Arizona is the largest-population state to list them. Eleven candidates for presidential elector, for each party, and also for each independent candidate for president, takes up a lot of room on the ballot. And voters can’t vote for individual electors in any event. But, the bill was amended before it passed, to keep the names of the presidential electors on the ballot.

FEC Files Brief with U.S. Supreme Court, Urging Court Not to Hear Republican Party Challenge to Campaign Finance Limits on Parties

Posted on February 14, 2011 by adminFebruary 14, 2011

On February 11, the Federal Election Commission filed this response in the U.S. Supreme Court, in Cao v Federal Election Commission, 10-776. The Court hasn’t yet decided whether to hear this case. The Republican Party argues that it should have been allowed to partially coordinate with one of its nominees, former Congressman Joseph Cao, last year. Federal Campaign laws restrict party spending in congressional elections to a greater extent than it restricts the spending of any other groups. Thanks to Justin Levitt for the link.

Alaska Senate Passes Bill, Clarifying That Write-in Votes Need Not be Spelled Perfectly

Posted on February 14, 2011 by adminFebruary 14, 2011

On February 14, the Alaska Senate unanimously passed SB 31, which says that write-in votes are not invalid just because they aren’t spelled perfectly. The bill now goes to the House. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.

New, Better Ballot Access Bill Introduced in Tennessee

Posted on February 14, 2011 by adminFebruary 14, 2011

On February 11, Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville) introduced SB 617, to govern how political parties can qualify for the general election ballot. The bill requires 2,500 signatures, and says that newly-qualifying parties would nominate by convention, not primary.

Senator Campfield had earlier this year introduced another ballot access bill for newly qualifying parties, SB 129, but it only lowered the petition from 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, and did not solve other problems, such as the early petition deadline and wording on the petition that implies signers are members of the party.

The old law was declared unconstitutional last year, so it is likely that some bill on this subject will pass the legislature this year. Thanks to Tony Wall for the news.

Petition Problems May Leave Columbus Voters With Fewer Candidates on the Ballot than there are Seats to Fill

Posted on February 14, 2011 by adminFebruary 14, 2011

Voters in Columbus, Ohio, will be choosing four Board of Education members in an election this year. The election is non-partisan. According to this news story, so many candidate have had petitions rejected, that there may be only three candidates on the ballot, even though there are four seats to fill. Thanks to Steve Linnabary for the link.