Wyoming Independent Gubernatorial Candidate, Denied Ballot Access, Runs as a Write-In Candidate

Posted on by September 3, 2010
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Taylor Haynes will run as a write-in candidate for Governor of Wyoming.  See this story.  Earlier he tried to become the first independent candidate for that office listed on the ballot since 1958, but his petition drive fell short.  He needed signatures of 2% of the vote cast in 2008, which is 4,988 signatures.

Now he has announced that he will be a write-in candidate.  He is well-known in Wyoming.  He is a rancher and a retired surgeon, and he is almost certainly the first black candidate for Governor of Wyoming.  He enjoys the support of the Constitution Party, which is well-organized in Wyoming even though it failed to get on the ballot this year as well.

The largest write-in vote ever in a Wyoming statewide general election was 4,625, received by Ralph Nader in November 2000.

Ohio Secretary of State Construes Election Law Favorably, Lets Libertarians Enter Legislative Race at Last Minute

Posted on by September 2, 2010
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On September 2, the Ohio Secretary of State ruled that the Libertarian Party may make a nomination for the State House race, 87th district, even though the party did not run anyone for that office in the May 2010 primary.

The Democratic primary winner in that race, Clay Baker, withdrew from the general election ballot a few weeks after the primary.  When that happens, Ohio lets the party of the withdrawn candidate substitute a new nominee.  Ohio law also lets other major parties make a new nomination, or if the other major party hadn’t run anyone in its primary, that other major party can make an original, late nomination.  Ohio defines “major party” as a qualified party that polled 20% of the vote in the last election.

Ohio law even lets an independent candidate committee make a new nomination, if any independent had entered the race originally and that candidate and his or her substitution committee want to withdraw the original nominee and replace him or her with a new nominee.  But read literally, Ohio’s law didn’t seem to let qualified minor parties enter such a race late.  However, the Secretary of State construed the law to mean that all qualified parties should be treated equally in matters relating to substituting new nominees.  As a result, the Libertarian Party’s choice for the seat, Tim Sanders, will be on the November ballot.

Lawsuit over Identity of the Officers of the American Independent Party Moves Ahead

Posted on by September 2, 2010
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Ever since 2008, the American Independent Party of California has had two sets of rival state officers, and the dispute over the identity of the legal officers has been in state court.  On September 1, Solano County Superior Court Judge William C. Harrison held a hearing in the case, King v Robinson, FCS 034452, and issued some procedural rulings.

The judge ruled that Solano County is a proper venue for this lawsuit, and he directed the defendants (individuals who supported the presidential nomination of Alan Keyes in 2008) to answer the Complaint.  Once the answer is filed, the case can move to the merits.

Arizona Holds 4-Candidate Gubernatorial Debate

Posted on by September 2, 2010
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On September 1, a televised gubernatorial debate was held in Arizona.  The nominees of the Democratic, Green, Libertarian and Republican Parties, all participated.  See this story.  Thanks to Independent Political Report for the link.  Those four candidates are the only four candidates on the November ballot.