In January, the Tennessee Constitution, Green and Libertarian Parties filed a federal lawsuit against the law on how new parties get on the ballot. The law is so strict and so confusing, it hasn’t been used since 1968. A procedural hearing was held in this lawsuit on March 19, just to set a briefing schedule. The judge assigned to the case will expedite the case, which is called Libertarian Party of Tennessee v Thompson, 3:08cv-63.
The Personal Choice Party, which has existed in Utah ever since 2004, tried but failed to re-qualify for the Utah ballot this year. The party had polled enough votes in 2004 so that it was on automatically in 2006, but it did not poll enough votes in 2006 to be on automatically in 2008.
The party needed 2,000 valid signatures, but submitted only approximately 1,800.
Utah lists the qualified parties on its state income tax forms. In 2005, the first year the Personal Choice Party was listed on those forms, it received $17,200, or 9% of all the donations given to all political parties that year. In 2006 it received $6,668 and 2007 it received $6,042. These lesser amounts were still more than twice as much as any other minor party received. However, the Personal Choice Party never received these donations. It had no bank account and no treasurer, so the money reverted to the state. The Personal Choice Party was also unusual in having Bylaws that could not be changed, and a policy of never having party conventions. The party’s logo on the ballot was the well-known “smiley face” button.
Filing has closed for the Utah primaries. The Constitution Party has 38 candidates for the State House, although two of them are running against each other in one district. Utah has 75 State House districts.
It is unusual for any minor party to run candidates in even half of any state’s legislative districts.
The Constitution Party also has candidates in over half the State Senate districts (8 candidates, in the 15 districts that are up this year).
The Libertarian Party has 8 candidates for the Utah State House.
In the U.S. House races, the Constitution Party has candidates in all three districts, and the Libertarian Party in two districts. Thanks to Frank Fluckiger for this news.
Vermont Progressive Party leader Anthony Pollina formally announced his gubernatorial candidacy on March 13. Pollina is very well known in Vermont and conceivably may be elected.
Pollina founded Rural Vermont in 1985, to work for a more favorable tax structure for farmers. In 1986 he successfully persuaded the legislature to label dairy products which used bovine growth hormone. In 1991 he became Policy Advisor to Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders. In 1996 he became Director of Vermont Public Interest Research Group (PIRG).
Although the Progressive Party elected candidates to the state legislature in the 1990’s, it had never run any statewide nominees until 2000, because it didn’t want it to be forced to nominate by primary (which would happen, once it polled 5% in any statewide race). However, the party changed its policy in 2000, and ran Pollina for Governor. He polled 9.59%. Despite that large share of the vote, Democratic nominee Howard Dean was re-elected.
In 2002 Pollina was the party’s candidate for Lieutenant Governor. This time he polled 24.76%. Not surprisingly, he “spoiled” the chances of the Democratic nominee, and the Republican nominee was elected with only 41.2% of the vote. This result increased interest in Instant-Runoff Voting in Vermont.
On March 17, the Burlington Free Press carried a letter to the editor from Philip Hoff, who had been elected Governor in 1962. The letter says, “For a long time I have felt that the Democratic and Progressive Parties should work together for the common good. In the absense of a viable Democratic candidate, it seems to me that the candidacy of Anthony Pollina offers such an opportunity.” Hoff, 83, is well-known in Vermont; he was the first Democratic Governor since 1854.
It is possible that Pollina will win the Democratic primary in September, with write-in votes (he cannot have his name printed on the Democratic primary ballot, since he will be running in the Progressive primary). If he wins the Democratic primary with write-in votes, he would then be free to withdraw as the Democratic nominee. That would leave the Democratic Party without a gubernatorial candidate. Or he could keep the Democratic nomination, and would then be listed on the November ballot as “Progressive, Democratic”. Some Progressive Party state legislators accept Democratic nominations; others do not. The party has six state legislators currently.
If Pollina is elected as a Progressive, he will be the first non-major party candidate to win a governorship since 1998, when the Reform Party elected Jesse Ventura Governor of Minnesota. Thanks to ThirdPartyWatch for news about the Hoff letter.
The Alaskan Independence Party has appeared on the ballot in Alaska in all state elections, starting in 1970. In its early years, it never got involved in presidential elections. However, in 2004, for the first time, it nominated a presidential candidate. That candidate was Michael Peroutka, who was also the Constitution Party presidential candidate.
The Alaskan Independence Party expects to nominate for president again in 2008. According to the state chair, Lynette Clark, the party will either choose the nominee of the Constitution Party (who will not be chosen until April), or it will choose Frank McEnulty.
Frank McEnulty and Jim Clymer both spoke at the AIP state convention, held March 14-16. Clymer is the national chair of the Constitution Party.
McEnulty has been running for president since early 2007. He is 51 and lives in Long Beach, California. He started as an independent candidate. Then he won the presidential nomination of the New American Independent Party, a party that is not yet on the ballot in any state. The party chose McEnulty in a web based election conducted February 6-29. The results were announced on March 12. McEnulty had also run in the Arizona Republican presidential primary earlier this year, and had polled 333 votes. His web page is www.frankforpresident.org.
