Politico says Gary Johnson will announce in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on December 28, that he is joing the Libertarian Party and also that he will seek its presidential nomination. See the story here. UPDATE: the Politico story has caused many other stories about Johnson to appear on December 21. For example, see this story.
On December 20, the Arkansas Green Party submitted approximately 14,000 signatures, to gain a place on the 2012 ballot for all partisan office. 10,000 valid signatures are required. This is the fourth election year in a row in which the party has petitioned.
This Reuters story says wealthy U.S. individuals are giving significantly smaller, or fewer, donations to candidates for federal office in 2011 than they have in past years. Thanks to Chris Edes for the link.
On December 20, Rhode Island elections officials announced that the Americans Elect petition for party status has enough valid signatures. The state said Americans Elect will be added to the voter registration forms within 90 days. Americans Elect is now entitled to its own primary in Rhode Island, and any registered voter who registers with the party can run for any partisan office in the party’s primary.
Politico reports here that Newt Gingrich said publicly that he is “scrambling” to finish his petition in Virginia to be on the Republican presidential primary ballot. Virginia requires 10,000 signatures for all presidential primary candidates, more than twice as many as any other state for mandatory presidential primary access. The deadline is December 22.
Earlier this year, a bill was introduced in the Virginia legislature by a Democrat to cut the requirement in half, but the bill did not pass the legislature. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for the link.
