On February 6, the Arkansas House passed HB 1246, the bill that expands the petitioning period for a new party petition from any 60 days the party chooses, to any 90 days it chooses. The vote was 84-13.
The Green Party suggested this bill, because it was extremely difficult for it to complete its 2007 petition in only 60 days. 10,000 valid signatures are needed.
The other ballot access bill, HB 1247, will receive a vote next week.
Virginia Delegate David Poisson (D-Sterling) has introduced HB 2438, to establish a pilot project for collecting signatures on nominating petitions electronically. The bill adds this sentence to sec. 24.2-506:
“The State Board of Elections is authorized to conduct a pilot project for any candidate who chooses to participate, under which some or all of the signatures required by this section may be provided by electronic mail or other electronic means as may be permitted by the State Board and signed in a manner consistent with the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.”
Missouri Representative Theodore Hoskins (D-Berkeley) has again introduced his bill to move the petition deadline for independent candidates from July to March. It is HB 571. It includes independent presidential candidates as well as independent candidates for other office. Rep. Hoskins introduced the same bill two years ago, but it did not pass. The Missouri independent petition deadline was in April in the past, but that deadline was held unconstitutional in 1976 in McCarthy v Kirkpatrick, 420 F Supp 366.
Alabama representative Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) has introduced HB 72, to cut the number of signatures for minor parties, and non-presidential independent candidates, from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1.5% of the last gubernatorial vote.
New York Assemblymember J. Gary Pretlow (D-Mt. Vernon) has introduced A2681, to change the definition of “political party” from a group that polled 50,000 votes for Governor, to a group that polled 100,000 votes for Governor. Assemblymember Pretlow has been in the legislature since 1992 and is a member of the Puerto Rican and Black Caucus.
The New York definition of “political party” is already constitutionally suspect. New York and Indiana are the only states in which it is impossible for a group to attain status as a “political party” during presidential election years. Also, New York is one of eleven states in which it is impossible for a group to transform itself into a qualified party in advance of any particular election.
