March 10 is the deadline for candidates to file in the Arkansas primary (for office other than president). The Republican Party state chair announced on March 10 that no Republican will run for U.S. Senate. Therefore, unless an independent candidate qualifies (which is unlikely; 10,000 signatures would be required by mid-May), the only two candidates on the November ballot will be Green Rebekah Kennedy, and incumbent Democratic Senator Mark Pryor.
The Nader campaign has launched its first petition drive. It is in New Mexico, and will attempt to qualify the Independent Party for the ballot. The petition needs 2,794 valid signatures by April 1.
That New Mexico deadline for new parties is surpremely irrational. New parties in New Mexico do not nominate by primary. Therefore, there is no reason why the deadline should be so early. That new party deadline had been in July, until 1995, when the New Mexico legislature moved it to April. The motivation was that the Democratic majority was unhappy that the Green Party gubernatorial candidate in 1994 had polled over 10% of the vote, and was perceived to be responsible for the election of Republican gubernatorial nominee Gary Johnson.
The Vermont Liberty Union held a presidential primary on March 4. The Vermont Secretary of State will release the results on March 11.
Nebraska holds presidential primaries on May 13 for the Democratic, Republican, Constitution, and Green Parties. The candidates in the Democratic primary are Hillary Clinton, Mike Gravel, and Barack Obama. Republicans are Mike Huckabee, John McCain, and Ron Paul. Names on the Constitution Party ballot are Don J. Grundmann, Bryan Malatesta, and Diane Beall Templin. On the Green ballot are Jesse Johnson, Cynthia McKinney, Kent Mesplay, and Kat Swift.
The Nebraska Democratic primary is just a “beauty contest”; the state party already chose its national delegates at the February caucuses.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination issued this Report on March 7, concerning the United States. It is 13 pages long and is a response to reports made by the United States to the Committee, concerning progress overcoming racial discrimination in the United States.
The U.N. document praises the United States for having re-authorized the Voting Rights Act in 2006. But it remains concerned about voting rights. It says, “The Committee remains concerned about the disparate impact that existing felon disenfranchisement laws have on a large number of persons belonging to racial, ethnic and national minorities, in particular African American persons, who are disproportionately represented at every stage of the criminal justice system. The Committee notes with particular concern that in some states, individuals remain disenfranchised even after the completion of their sentences.”
Thanks to Rick Hasen’s electionlawblog for this.
In the United States, there are three classes of adult competent citizens who are sometimes denied their voting rights in the U.S.: felons and ex-felons; residents of the District of Columbia and the territories; and people who are not members of the Republican and Democratic Parties.
On March 8, Illinois held a special election to fill the vacant 14th U.S. House district. Democratic nominee Bill Foster has 52.54% and Republican nominee Jim Oberweis has 47.46%.
When the 14th district last voted, in November 2006, the vote had been Republican 59.79%, Democratic 40.21%.
