The Massachusetts Secretary of State recently released registration data.  The data is as of August 25, 2010.  The new figures:  Democratic 1,521,487; Republican 470,852; Libertarian 14,784; Green 5,717; American Independent 700; Reform 296; Socialist 207; Constitution 83; various other unqualified minor parties 1,503; independents 2,135,446.  Total 4,151,075.

In the spring of 2010, the registration tally showed:  Democratic 1,524,455; Republican 471,224; Libertarian 13,690; Green 5,858; Reform 304; Socialist 206; Constitution 90;  independents and various other unqualified parties 2,128,714.  Total 4,144,335.  Thanks to Brandon Henderson for the news.  Currently, the only ballot-qualified parties in Massachusetts are Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian, so those are the only parties listed on the voter registration form.  Massachusetts tallies the number of registrations for other groups that request it, but their voters must write-in the name of that unqualified party on the voter registration form.

The Massachusetts Libertarian Party isn’t running any nominees in its own primary this year, so it will lose its status as a qualified party in November 2010 and will go off the voter registration form.  The Libertarian Party is running some of its own nominees for U.S. House and state legislature as independent candidates this year, some of them with the ballot label “Liberty.”  The party didn’t run any candidates in its own primary because state election laws make it so difficult for members of small qualified parties to get on their own party’s primary ballot.

The League of Women Voters has invited Steve Funk into a candidate’s debate, for candidates running for Illinois State House, 18th district, even though Funk was removed from the ballot after the Democratic Party challenged his petition.  The debate is set for October 3.  Funk is a declared write-in candidate.  The only person on the ballot is incumbent Democratic State Representative Robyn Gabel.  The district is centered on Evanston, in northeast Illinois.  Gabel will also participate.

Although the Illinois Libertarian Party’s statewide slate is on the ballot, the party has no candidates for U.S. House or state legislature on the ballot.  Those offices require petitions signed by 5% of the last vote cast.

On September 13, a University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll was released, showing the results for several of the statewide races.  All of the Libertarians mentioned in the poll for statewide office are polling between 5% and 8%, even though the listed races also include Democratic and Republican nominees.  Not since 1992 has the Texas Libertarian Party been able to poll as much as 5% in a statewide race that had both a Democrat and a Republican also running.  In 1992, Libertarian nominee Richard Draheim, running against both a Republican and a Democrat for Railroad Commissioner, had polled 6.99%.

The poll shows these results for the gubernatorial race:  Rick Perry, Republican, 39%; Bill White, Democrat, 33%; Kathie Glass, Libertarian, 5%; Deb Shafto, Green, 1%; undecided 22%.  The best previous showing for a Libertarian for Texas Governor had been in 1990, when Jeff Daiell had polled 3.32%.  The best, and only, Green Party showing for Texas Governor had been in 2002, when Rahul Mahajan had polled .71%.