Ballot Access News has just learned that Ted Weill died on November 20, 2009, age 84. He was the 2008 presidential nominee of the Reform Party, although he only appeared on the ballot of his home state of Mississippi. He had been a leader of the Reform Party in Mississippi ever since the party had been formed in 1995. He was survived by six children, 14 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.
On November 30, 2009, Ralph Nader re-filed his lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee, concerning its actions in the 2004 presidential election, when the party coordinated challenges to Nader’s ballot position in 18 states. Nader charges that the challenges were not made in good faith, but were designed to soak up the campaign’s resources.
Nader had filed a similar case in 2007, but the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, ruled in 2009 that the District of Columbia statute of limitations means that he should have filed within 3 years of when the events occurred. But, Maine has a six-year statute of limitations for cases like this, so the new lawsuit is filed in state court in Maine. Maine was one of the states in which the Democratic Party sponsored and financed a challenge to Nader’s petition, although that Maine challenge, like most of the party’s challenges in 2004, did not succeed. The new case is Nader v The Maine Democratic Party, the Democratic National Committee, Kerry-Edwards 2004, The Ballot Project, Dorothy Melanson, Terry McAuliffe and Toby Moffett. It is in Superior Court in Washington County, Maine, no. macsc-cv-2009-57. Here is the 55-page complaint.
On January 12, the New Hampshire House Election Law Committee will hold hearings on two bills to improve ballot access for minor parties. HB 1264 and HB 1188 are both on the agenda. HB 1264 would lower the petition to create a new qualified party from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote (over 20,000 signatures) to a flat 5,000 signatures. It would also lower the vote test from 4% of the last vote for either Governor or U.S. Senator, to 2%. However, parties polling at least 2%, but under 4%, would nominate by convention, not primary. Testimony about this bill starts at 2:30 p.m.
HB 1188 cuts the petition for a new ballot-qualified party from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote to 1.5% of that same base. Testimony about this bill starts at 1 p.m.
New Hampshire is the only state in New England with no ballot-qualified parties, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties. New Hampshire is also the only state in the nation that, in the last 15 years, has raised the vote test for a group to meet the definition of “party”. In 1997 it raised it from 3% to 4%. The median vote test in the 50 states is 2%. Thanks to Rich Tomasso for the news about the hearing date.
The American Independent Party of California is currently split into two factions, the one which favored Alan Keyes for president in 2008, and the one that favored Chuck Baldwin for president in 2008. The California Secretary of State recognizes the Alan Keyes faction.
The Alan Keyes faction has tentatively decided to revoke the ability of independent voters to vote in AIP primaries for public office, but the party has not made a formal notification to the California Secretary of State. State law requires such a notification to be made by January 25, 2010. Apparently the State Central Committee of the Keyes faction will meet on January 13, 2010, to formalize the decision. The location of that meeting is the home of Mark Robinson, 476 Deodora Street, Vacaville. Members of the state central committee can also participate via computer.
No California state court has ever made a ruling on the substance of the various lawsuits filed last year, or in 2008, to determine the identity of the bona fide party officers. The 2008 lawsuit filed by the Baldwin faction was dismissed for procedural reasons, and the 2009 lawsuits have been stalled because the officers in the Keyes faction have managed to avoid being served, or at least have raised unresolved questions about whether service was successful.
The Republican Party of California, and the Democratic Party of California, both let independent voters vote in their primaries for Congress and state office. The Green Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Peace & Freedom Party, do not let independents vote in their primaries.
The American Independent Party of California is currently split into two factions, the one which favored Alan Keyes for president in 2008, and the one that favored Chuck Baldwin for president in 2008. The California Secretary of State recognizes the Alan Keyes faction.
The Alan Keyes faction has tentatively decided to revoke the ability of independent voters to vote in AIP primaries for public office, but the party has not made a formal notification to the California Secretary of State. State law requires such a notification to be made by January 25, 2010. Apparently the State Central Committee of the Keyes faction will meet on January 13, 2010, to formalize the decision. The location of that meeting is the home of Mark Robinson, 476 Deodora Street, Vacaville. Members of the state central committee can also participate via computer.
No California state court has ever made a ruling on the substance of the various lawsuits filed last year, or in 2008, to determine the identity of the bona fide party officers. The 2008 lawsuit filed by the Baldwin faction was dismissed for procedural reasons, and the 2009 lawsuits have been stalled because the officers in the Keyes faction have managed to avoid being served, or at least have raised unresolved questions about whether service was successful.
The Republican Party of California, and the Democratic Party of California, both let independent voters vote in their primaries for Congress and state office. The Green Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Peace & Freedom Party, do not let independents vote in their primaries.
