Probably Wyoming Democrats Will Not Run for Secretary of State

Posted on by March 11, 2010
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According to this story, no Democrat has declared so far for Secretary of State of Wyoming for 2010. The Democrats didn’t run anyone for this office in either 2006 or 2002. As a result, both times, the Libertarian Party polled over 10% of the vote for its nominee for Secretary of State in both years, which caused it to be classed as a major party, with its own primary, in the years 2004 and 2008. Parties that poll over 2% but under 10% are also ballot-qualified, but they nominate by convention.

The Wyoming vote test applies every two years, so in presidential election years, when Secretary of State is not on the ballot, the Libertarian Party never gets 10% for any statewide office. It does normally get 2%, so it nominated by convention in 2002 and 2006.

The Wyoming Constitution Party is petitioning to get on the ballot, and if it qualifies, it will probably run a candidate for Secretary of State this year, and would be overwhelmingly likely to poll at least 2% for that office, and be on the ballot automatically for 2012. The party needs 4,988 valid signatures by June 1.

Michigan State Court Says List of Voters Who Chose Republican Presidential Primary Ballot, or Democratic Presidential Primary Ballot, is Public

Posted on by March 11, 2010
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On March 9, a Michigan State Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the list of which voters chose a Democratic presidential primary ballot, or a Republican presidential primary ballot, in the January 2008 presidential primaries, is public information. Practical Political Consulting v Land, 291176. Here is the decision. The majority opinion is 19 pages and the dissent is 19 pages. Thanks to John Anthony La Pietra for the link.

The 2008 Democratic presidential primary results had been: Clinton 328,309; uncommitted 238,168; Kucinich 21,715; Dodd 3,845; Gravel 2,361. Most observers believe that many Democrats chose a Republican primary ballot, because the Democratic ballot did not carry the names of Barack Obama or John Edwards. They had boycotted the Democratic primary because the national party rules didn’t permit the party to recognize a primary that early, in a state other than New Hampshire.

The Republican primary results had been: Romney 338,316; McCain 257,985; Huckabee 139,764; Paul 54,475; Thompson 32,159; Giuliani 24,725; uncommitted 18,118; Hunter 2,819; Tancredo 457; Brownback 351.

If the state doesn’t appeal to the State Supreme Court, the lists will become public. Chances are, some Michigan Democratic Party office-holders voted in the Republican Party’s presidential primary, and they won’t especially enjoy having that become publicly known.

North Carolina County Commissioner Will Run for State Senate as an Independent Candidate

Posted on by March 11, 2010
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Guilford County Commissioner Bruce Davis says he will attempt to qualify as an independent candidate for North Carolina State Senate. See this story. Guilford County is North Carolina’s third most populous county, and includes Greensboro.

Davis needs a petition signed by 4% of the registered voters of his district. The story says he needs 5,000 signatures, but does not say if this is the legal requirement, or the number that he realistically needs to collect. If he gets on the ballot and wins, he will be the first person elected to the North Carolina Senate, who was not a Democratic or Republican Party nominee, since 1900, when the Peoples Party elected three Senators.