Bloomberg-Paul Ticket in Virginia Won’t Happen

Posted on by August 20, 2008
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The recent publicity that Mike Bloomberg and Ron Paul will appear on the Virginia ballot as candidates for president and vice-president is wrong. Although the Independent Green Party of Virginia did circulate a petition for president with those candidates’ names on it, Virginia law explicitly gives the petitioning group the right to substitute. The Independent Green Party of Virginia has promised to place the Constitution Party national ticket on the ballot, via substitution. Meanwhile, the Independent Green Party of Virginia has been enjoying the publicity.

Also, reports that the Independent Green Party of Virginia got 70,000 signatures on its presidential petition are also wrong. The party got 70,000 raw signatures for all its candidates put together. Virginia requires separate petitions for each candidate, so the 70,000 figure was arrived at by totaling the party’s presidential petition, its U.S. Senate petition, and its various petitions for U.S. House.

U.S. Supreme Court Gets Responses in Maine Ballot Access Case

Posted on by August 19, 2008
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On August 19, U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter received responses from all three sides in the Maine ballot access case. Souter is in charge of emergency appeals for the First Circuit while the Court is not in session. Maine is in the First Circuit. The case concerns whether Herb Hoffman should be on the ballot as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate.

The state of Maine and Herb Hoffman are on the same side. Both submitted briefs arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court should put Hoffman on the ballot. The state chair of the Democratic Party, who is trying to keep Hoffman off the ballot, is the only party to the lawsuit against Hoffman’s ballot access. The state chair, John Knutson, argued in his brief that it would violate the sovereignty of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, if the U.S. Supreme Court were to side with Hoffman. Knutson also argues that it is reasonable to exclude a candidate from the ballot if there is doubt that his witnessing was done properly. To see the briefs, go to www.scotusblog.com. The Maine matter is near the top of that blog. The state of Maine says it needs a decision no later than August 29.

Libertarian Party National Committee Will Sue to Remove Phillies From NH Ballot

Posted on by August 19, 2008
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According to Last Free Voice:

The Libertarian Party (Libertarian National Committee, Incorporated) is apparently preparing to file suit against the New Hampshire Secretary of State. The lawsuit will demand that the state place Bob Barr on the ballot, and remove George Phillies from the ballot. This suit is separate and distinct from the ACLU lawsuit in Massachusetts to substitute Bob Barr in place of George Phillies on the Massachusetts ballot.

The article claims that Phillies is not cooperating with efforts to remove him from the New Hampshire ballot, reportedly citing an ethical obligation to petition signers that placed him there.

Barr is expected to appear on the New Hampshire ballot as well, since his supporters submitted what they believe is enough signatures to qualify in the state appart from seeking to replace Phillies.

GOP Leader Seeks to Push Barr Off Pennsylvania Ballot

Posted on by August 18, 2008
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A Pennsylvania Republican Party leader has filed suit to have Libertarian Party presidential candidate removed from the state ballot.

Cumberland County GOP chairman Victor Stabile, an attorney, complained to the Commonwealth Court that Barr supporters misled people who signed their ballot petitions because they listed Rochelle Etzel of Clarion County as the presidential candidate even after the national party picked Barr at its convention in May.

Stabile acknowledged that state election laws allow such substitutions as long as they are made within the allotted time, but said he thinks this case “crosses the line.” “I don’t like to see anything taint that process,” he said.

Since state law allows from substitutions, and major parties have yet to nominate their own candidates and will be safely on the ballot, it is expected that the case will be dismissed for lacking merit.