Last month, the webpage http://beabsentee.org was launched. Click on the map of the United States for any particular state. That brings up an absentee ballot application for that particular state. The webpage also gives the deadlines in each state for requesting an absentee ballot. The earliest deadline for requesting an absentee ballot by mail is Rhode Island’s October 14 deadline. Thanks to Kimberly Wilder for the link.
Starting with 1860, the year the Republicans indisputably became a major party, there have been 14 presidential elections in which the incumbent president was not running for re-election. Of those 14 elections, the voters elected a Republican 12 times. The only exceptions to the general rule that Republicans always win when no incumbent president is running, are 1884 and 1960. So, if Obama wins, his win will be historic for many reasons, including this one.
Film Critic Roger Ebert’s blog has an entry about the vice-presidential debate. That entry has many comments, including this interesting and perceptive comment from someone who lives in Quebec:
“Boy as a Canadian I sure don’t envy any of you dear neighbors. It is always the same, either Republican or Democratic…so boring.
Can’t you see that THEY own the ballpark. Only these two teams compete, sometimes one wins and sometimes it’s the other but they always play in THEIR ballpark…We too have to choose our government on the 14th and we have 5 choices (at least in Quebec we have, for the rest it is only 4). Isn’t that what real democracy should be about, a real choice that is not limited to either left or right. I am not saying we are better but at least we try.” The comment is by Philippe.
To see all the blog posts about the debate at the Ebert site, see here.
Film Critic Roger Ebert’s blog has an entry about the vice-presidential debate. That entry has many comments, including this interesting and perceptive comment from someone who lives in Quebec:
“Boy as a Canadian I sure don’t envy any of you dear neighbors. It is always the same, either Republican or Democratic…so boring.
Can’t you see that THEY own the ballpark. Only these two teams compete, sometimes one wins and sometimes it’s the other but they always play in THEIR ballpark…We too have to choose our government on the 14th and we have 5 choices (at least in Quebec we have, for the rest it is only 4). Isn’t that what real democracy should be about, a real choice that is not limited to either left or right. I am not saying we are better but at least we try.” The comment is by Philippe.
To see all the blog posts about the debate at the Ebert site, see here.
Half the states let a candidate who uses the independent candidate procedure choose a party label, which is printed on the November ballot next to the candidate’s name. Generally, the law requires that the chosen label can’t mimic the name of a fully qualified party. State law also usually requires that the label must not be too long. But, generally, those are the only restrictions, except that most states also provide some means to settle the rare problem of what happens when two different candidates for the same office choose the same label.
This year, two candidates for the same office in Red Hook, New York, both filed independent candidate petitions using the label “Red Hook United.” Each is running for Town Board. New York state law says that the first candidate to file gets title to the label. This year, in Red Hook, Robert Latimer and Robert McKeon each was aware that they both wanted the same label. Latimer therefore appeared at the office of the Board of Elections on August 12, the first day for filing. He arrived early, before the office opened at 9 a.m., so that he was first in line. However, when the office opened to the public, an employee of the Board cut in line in front of him, saying since she had been in the office since 7:30 a.m. (before the office was open to the public), she should go first. She then filed McKeon’s petition. The Dutchess County Board of Elections ruled that Latimer’s petition should be deemed to have been filed first. McKeon sued. But on September 30, the two candidates settled the dispute. McKeon may have the label “Red Hook United” and Latimer is free to choose another label.
“Red Hook United” is not just a label; it is the name of an actual political party that only exists in Red Hook. McKeon helped found the party. McKeon is also the Democratic nominee; Latimer is also the Republican, Conservative, and Independence Party nominee.
