The New Mexico Green Party has been continuously ballot-qualified since 1992, and the New Mexico Libertarian Party has been continuously ballot-qualified since it completed its last party petition in late 2005. Under New Mexico’s Tax Code, section 7-2-31, all qualified parties (whether qualified minor parties, or qualified major parties) should be listed on the state income tax form. This is so that a taxpayer can choose to send a contribution to any listed party.

However, the 2007 New Mexico income tax form lists only the Democratic and Republican Parties. The state tax office says the Secretary of State informed the tax office that only the Democratic and Republican Parties are ballot-qualified.

A Minnesota district court will hear oral arguments in Minnesota Voters Alliance v City of Minneapolis on October 8, at 8:30 a.m. The case is Minnesota Voters Alliance v City of Minneapolis, 27-cv-08-15. The issue is whether there is anything in the Minnesota Constitution that would prevent a city from instituting Instant-Runoff Voting for its own city elections. Both sides are very passionate, so if you happen to live in or near Minneapolis and wish to attend, it may be necessary to get to the courtroom early to get a seat. The hearing is in room 1355 of the Government Center, 300 So. 6th St., Minneapolis.

On September 22, the New York Conservative Party held a nominating meeting in New York city and nominated John McCain for president and Sarah Palin for vice-president. There has never been any Republican nominees for president and vice-president who were not supported by the Conservative Party of New York, in the history of the Conservative Party. In 1964 the party wanted to place Barry Goldwater on the New York ballot as its own nominee, but the Republican Party of New York state forbade its presidential elector candidates from also being the nominees of the Conservative Party. Similarly, in 1968, the Republicans refused fusion for Richard Nixon. Starting in 1972, however, the New York Republican candidates for presidential elector have always been also the nominees of the Conservative Party.