Independent Candidate for U.S. Senate from Connecticut Wants Multiple Party Nominations

Posted on by October 27, 2009
10

John Mertens, an engineering professor, is running for U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2010 on a platform of abolishing federal subsidies for ethanol. He says such a step would save $70,000,000,000 per year and also help the environment. He says he is an independent candidate, but that he also is seeking the nomination of the Independent, Green, Libertarian, and Connecticut for Lieberman Parties. See this story.

Connecticut would permit him to appear on all those party lines, but the Green, Libertarian and Independent Parties are not ballot-qualified for U.S. Senate in 2010. They are qualified for certain other races. In Connecticut, a party is ballot-qualified for each race for which it polled 1% in the last election (it is also ballot-qualified for all office if it polled 20% for Governor in the last gubernatorial election).

The Connecticut for Lieberman Party is ballot-qualified for U.S. Senate in 2010. Mertens would need 7,500 signatures to appear for as the nominee of any of the other parties.

Rhode Island Legislature Won't Consider Ballot Access Bill This Month

Posted on by October 27, 2009
Reply

Earlier this year, the Rhode Island State Senate passed SB 203, which lowers the number of signatures for a group to become a ballot-qualified party from 5% of the last vote cast (currently, 23,589 signatures), to exactly 10,000 signatures. The legislature then adjourned, but is returning October 28 for another 3-day session.

It had been thought that the House would consider SB 203 in the October 3-day session. However, the bill’s sponsors have decided not to bring it up in the October session. Instead they will work for a more comprehensive bill early in 2010. The new bill will probably include some provision to ease the requirements for a party to remain ballot-qualified. Current law says a party must poll 5% for Governor or President at either of the last two elections, in order to stay on the ballot. The Moderate Party is on the ballot in 2010, but it is possible it will choose not to run a gubernatorial candidate, and perhaps would rather concentrate on state legislative races, and local government partisan races.

The legislature eventually must pass some bill on ballot access, because earlier this year, a federal court struck down the part of the law that makes it illegal to circulate a petition for party qualification during odd years.

Rhode Island Legislature Won’t Consider Ballot Access Bill This Month

Posted on by October 27, 2009
Reply

Earlier this year, the Rhode Island State Senate passed SB 203, which lowers the number of signatures for a group to become a ballot-qualified party from 5% of the last vote cast (currently, 23,589 signatures), to exactly 10,000 signatures. The legislature then adjourned, but is returning October 28 for another 3-day session.

It had been thought that the House would consider SB 203 in the October 3-day session. However, the bill’s sponsors have decided not to bring it up in the October session. Instead they will work for a more comprehensive bill early in 2010. The new bill will probably include some provision to ease the requirements for a party to remain ballot-qualified. Current law says a party must poll 5% for Governor or President at either of the last two elections, in order to stay on the ballot. The Moderate Party is on the ballot in 2010, but it is possible it will choose not to run a gubernatorial candidate, and perhaps would rather concentrate on state legislative races, and local government partisan races.

The legislature eventually must pass some bill on ballot access, because earlier this year, a federal court struck down the part of the law that makes it illegal to circulate a petition for party qualification during odd years.