Ohio Presidential Primary Petition Deadline is December 30, 2011, at 4 p.m.

Posted on by December 29, 2011
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Ohio petitions for presidential candidates and their slates of delegates are due on December 30, 2011, at 4 p.m. Candidates running in Republican and Democratic presidential primaries need 1,000 signatures if they are using the statewide option. Candidates running in any qualified minor party presidential primaries need 500 signatures.

So far, the only Republicans who have filed in Ohio are Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. Chances are, none of the five qualified parties is going to have any candidates on its own presidential primary ballot. Greens had thought of qualifying Jill Stein and Kent Mesplay, but were taken by surprise on December 16 when the legislature changed the date of the presidential primary from June to March. Before the legislature’s surprise action, everyone had expected that the presidential primary petition deadline would be in February.

District of Columbia Petition Deadline for Presidential Primaries is January 4, 2012

Posted on by December 29, 2011
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The petition deadline for candidates running in the District of Columbia presidential primary is January 4, 2012. Republicans need 296 signatures (1% of the number of registered Republicans). Only registered Republicans can sign. The only Republican presidential candidates who have even taken out blank petition forms are Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, and Mitt Romney. Only Romney has turned in any signatures so far.

In 2008, Fred Thompson took out blank petition forms in D.C., but he did not submit any signatures. The only Republicans who qualified in 2008 in D.C. were John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Rudy Giuliani. In 2008, the Republican primary required 298 valid signatures.

In the 2012 season, the only Green who has taken out petition forms for the Green presidential primary is Jill Stein. She needs 41 signatures.

California County Elections Officials Ask Parties if they Wish to Have Elections Held in June 2012 for County Central Committee

Posted on by December 29, 2011
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The various county elections officials in California have sent letters to all the qualified parties, asking them if they wish to hold county central committee elections in June 2012. The counties want a response by January 23, 2012, but if the party doesn’t respond, and if the party hasn’t previously told the Secretary of State that it doesn’t want these elections held, then the counties will hold such elections.

If these elections are going ahead, individuals may file to run for party county central committees starting on February 13, 2012. If fewer candidates file than there are seats to be filled, they are deemed elected and the election is not actually held.

U.S. District Court in Virginia Expedites Rick Perry’s Ballot Access Lawsuit

Posted on by December 29, 2011
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U.S. District Court Judge John A. Gibney of Virginia has set a hearing in Rick Perry’s presidential primary ballot access lawsuit. He will consider Perry’s request for injunctive relief on January 13. In the meantime, he has established a briefing schedule, and also has instructed attorneys for Perry to communicate with all other Republican presidential primary candidates who had filed a declaration of candidacy, to explain to them how they may intervene in the lawsuit. This shows foresight and thoughtfulness on the part of the judge. The case is Perry v Judd, 3:11-cv-856. Judge Gibney is an Obama appointee. The issue is the state’s ban on out-of-state circulators. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the news.

Justice Party Qualifies for Mississippi Ballot

Posted on by December 29, 2011
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The Justice Party has obtained qualified party status in Mississippi. This is the first state in which the Justice Party has qualified. Mississippi has a very tolerant law, which does not require any petition for party status. Instead, the group must show that it has a state organization in the state, by submitting a list of state party officers. Mississippi has had this law since 1890 and has never amended it. Mississippi is the only state that has never altered its original definition of “political party.”