Libertarians Fail to Complete South Dakota Party Petition by Deadline

Posted on by March 25, 2008
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March 25 is the deadline for a new or previously unqualified party to submit its petition in South Dakota. For the first time since before 1992, the Libertarian Party failed to qualify.

The party has several options. In 1977 the 8th circuit ruled in MacBride v Exon that it would be unconstitutional for any state to require a new or previously unqualified party to submit its petition in time to participate in its own primary, if all it wants to do is list its presidential nominee with the party label on the November ballot.

South Dakota previously let independent candidates choose a partisan label, but the legislature repealed that in 2007. Therefore, if the Libertarian Party can finish its party petition and submit it somewhat later (for example, June 2008), it would stand an excellent chance of winning a lawsuit against the March 25 deadline for party petitions.

Also, the party is free to do an independent presidential petition, but that cannot start until after the party has chosen its nominee in late May, since South Dakota doesn’t permit stand-in presidential candidates on independent petitions. The independent petition requires 3,356 signatures, due in August.

Largest Vermont Newspaper Calls for a Veto of Instant-Runoff Voting Bill

Posted on by March 25, 2008
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The Burlington Free Press of March 25 editorializes against against SB 108, which implements Instant-Runoff Voting for both Houses of Congress. See the editorial here.

The editorial pokes fun at the bill because it only applies to congressional races. The editorial points out that it is rare for anyone to fail to get a majority for Congress in Vermont anyway. Of course, the reason the bill is limited to Congress is (1) it is easier to implement something new if it is limited; (2) changing to IRV for statewide state office would probably require changing the Vermont Constitution. The editorial doesn’t mention either of these points.

Democratic National Committee Approves Puerto Rico Presidential Primary

Posted on by March 24, 2008
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On March 24, the Democratic National Committee voted to approve Puerto Rico’s Democratic presidential primary, which will be held June 1, a Sunday. Puerto Rico has used caucuses for the last 20 years, but Puerto Rico Democrats felt that this year’s Democratic contest is of such intense interest, the normal caucus procedure would not work well. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news.