The Michigan Circuit Court in Grand Rapids will hold a hearing in Ebbers v Secretary of State on February 5, Tuesday. This is the case over whether recall petitions may be circulated by someone who doesn’t live in the jurisdiction represented by the office-holder who is the subject of the recall. The case number is 08-699-cv. The particular lawsuit was filed by the group that is trying to recall State Representative Robert Dean.
In a minority of states, there is no procedure for an unqualified party to circulate a petition to simply qualify the party. Instead, in these “bad” states, unqualified parties must list candidates on a petition, and get on the ballot that way.
This forces such unqualified parties to nominate “stand-in” presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Later, when these parties have their national conventions and choose their actual nominees, the stand-ins resign and the state allows the actual candidates to be substituted.
The Illinois Libertarian Party stand-ins are Debra Aaron for president, and Chris Bennett for vice-president. The Massachusetts Libertarian stand-ins are George Phillies for president and Chris Bennett for vice-president. The Pennsylvania Libertarian Party will choose its stand-ins at a state committee meeting on February 9.
The Pennsylvania Green Party stand-ins are John Zachmann for president and Sedinam Curry for vice-president. The Green Party is already ballot-qualified in Illinois and Massachusetts, so doesn’t need to worry about a petition.
The Constitution Party is using Jim Clymer as a stand-in for president, and Chuck Baldwin for vice-president, in various states.
In a minority of states, there is no procedure for an unqualified party to circulate a petition to simply qualify the party. Instead, in these “bad” states, unqualified parties must list candidates on a petition, and get on the ballot that way.
This forces such unqualified parties to nominate “stand-in” presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Later, when these parties have their national conventions and choose their actual nominees, the stand-ins resign and the state allows the actual candidates to be substituted.
The Illinois Libertarian Party stand-ins are Debra Aaron for president, and Chris Bennett for vice-president. The Massachusetts Libertarian stand-ins are George Phillies for president and Chris Bennett for vice-president. The Pennsylvania Libertarian Party will choose its stand-ins at a state committee meeting on February 9.
The Pennsylvania Green Party stand-ins are John Zachmann for president and Sedinam Curry for vice-president. The Green Party is already ballot-qualified in Illinois and Massachusetts, so doesn’t need to worry about a petition.
The Constitution Party is using Jim Clymer as a stand-in for president, and Chuck Baldwin for vice-president, in various states.
The nation is waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Indiana’s law requiring government Photo-ID for voters at the polls. The New York Times of February 3 ran this important op-ed by former President Jimmy Carter and James A. Baker III, co-chairs of the 2005 Commission on Federal Election Reform. The op-ed is important, because the Commission had recommended that states require photo voter-ID at the polls. However, the op-ed reminds us all that the Commission had recommended that states take five years to phase in the requirement, and that states provide full assistance to voters who don’t already have such ID. The Commission had even recommended that state or local government employees visit the homes of such voters to provide such assistance. Since Indiana defended its law with repeated reference to the Commission’s recommendations, this op-ed could influence the pending U.S. Supreme Court opinion.
This story ran in the Washington Post on February 3, and seems to suggest that Mayor Mike Bloomberg would still be likely to run as an independent presidential candidate if McCain fails to wrap up the Republican nomination soon. Thanks to Bill Van Allen.
