On January 28, the New York State Board of Elections voted to remove Duncan Hunter, Fred Thompson, and Alan Keyes from the Republican presidential primary ballot. The stated reason is that Hunter and Thompson have withdrawn, and that Alan Keyes didn’t submit a slate of delegates.

However, many observers feel the real reason is to put Rudy Giuliani in a more favorable position on the Republican ballot. The candidates are listed in random order. Ron Paul won the drawing for top spot; Giuliani won the 4th spot. But if Hunter, Thompson and Keyes were removed, Giuliani would then be in the 2nd spot.

The New York City Board of Elections is refusing to alter the Republican ballot within New York city. It argues that the order of the State Board is invalid, because it argues that the State Board had no quorum. See this story for more details.

Filing for the Kentucky presidential primaries closed on January 29. Candidates gain a place on the ballot either by showing that they are on in at least 20 other state presidential primaries, or by being entitled to receive primary season matching funds, or by submitting 5,000 signatures.

Republicans are Giuliani, Huckabee, Keyes, McCain, Paul, and Romney. Democrats are Clinton, Edwards, and Obama.

On January 15, the Brennan Center posted a useful and interesting essay on dates by which independent voters must have changed their registration, in order to vote in 2008 presidential primaries. Of course, the article only deals with states in which presidential primaries are limited to registered party members.

Among the states that hold presidential primaries on February 5, these states provide that any voter can vote in any party’s primary: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, Utah.

Among the February 5 primary states, these states let independents choose any primary: Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey (Illinois doesn’t have party registration, but records are kept of which primary a voter voted in at the previous primary). However, in these states, party members must stick to their own party.

Among the February 5 primary states, these states only let party members vote in primaries: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Oklahoma.

In California, independents may vote in the Democratic primary if they ask (at the polls, no one will volunteer the information), but they may not vote in the Republican primary.

This post only covers primary states, not caucus states. States that are holding caucuses on February 5 are Alaska, Colorado, Idaho Democrats, Kansas Democrats, Minnesota, New Mexico Democrats, North Dakota. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for the link to the Brennan Center article.