Since 1993, New Zealand has used the Mixed Member proportional representation system. On November 26, New Zealand holds a national parliamentary election, and also votes on whether to keep MMP or shift to another system. Here is an Australian newspaper article that describes the current system and the upcoming referendum.

To help New Zealand voters decide which system they prefer, election officials have prepared this neutral explanation of each type of system, and even provide a flow chart to help anyone decide, based on that individual’s values. See it here. Thanks to Rosa Barker for the link and the news. Although the election is more than two months away, most observers expect that New Zealand voters will retain the existing system.

Arkansas law requires a party that wishes to be on the ballot to submit 10,000 signatures. The group chooses its own petitioning period, and the job must be done within 90 days. The Green Party starts its 2012 petition drive today, September 3. This is the fourth time the party has had to do this work. It also completed the petition in 2006, 2008, and 2010.

Each time the Green Party has been on the ballot in Arkansas, it has shown substantial voter support. Nevertheless, the law requires a party to constantly re-qualify, unless it polls 3% for the office at the top of the ticket in each election. If the party can keep up its stamina, perhaps election officials will get tired of constantly checking petitions, and the legislature may improve the law on party retention.

The only other parties that have qualified by petition in Arkansas have been the Reform Party in 1996, and the Libertarian Party earlier this year. Before 1971, parties were permitted to be on the Arkansas ballot just by being organized; no petition was needed. Parties that want to be on the ballot in Arkansas just for President don’t need to complete the 10,000-signature petition; they just need 1,000 signatures.

Starting September 9, C-SPAN will present a new series, “The Contenders”. Each of the fourteen shows will present the story of a presidential candidate who ran and lost, but who changed U.S. political history. The series includes three candidates who ran outside the major parties: Eugene Debs, George Wallace, and Ross Perot. The others in the series are Henry Clay, James G. Blaine, William Jennings Bryan, Charles E. Hughes, Al Smith, Wendell Willkie, Thomas E. Dewey, Adlai Stevenson, Barry Goldwater, Hubert Humphrey, and George McGovern. The shows will be broadcast at 8 p.m, one per week. Thanks to Jack Ross for the link.