On September 23, by an e-mail vote, the Coalition for Free & Open Elections (COFOE) board endorsed HR 3600. That is the bill in Congress that outlaws restrictive ballot access laws for independent candidates for the US House, and for the nominees of unqualified parties for the US House. Activists will be working to get endorsements from other organizations for HR 3600. Congressman Ron Paul is the sponsor of HR 3600. That bill sets a ceiling of 1,000 signatures.
According to this article in the September 23 Orlando Sentinel newspaper, the Florida Democratic Party now is leaning toward choosing its delegates to the national convention in the January 29. A formal announcement is expected on September 23. If true, the national Democratic Party will deprive the state party of all its delegates, and require that the party’s presidential candidates not campaign in Florida between September 30 and January 30…or, possibly, the national party will give in.
On September 8-9, the California Green Party held a general assembly in Riverside, California, to decide which candidates to list on its presidential primary. Seven names were submitted to the California Secretary of State: Jared Ball, 35, of Washington, DC; Elaine Brown, 64, of Atlanta, Georgia; Jesse Johnson, 48, of Charleston, West Virginia; Cynthia McKinney, 52, of Atlanta, Georgia; Kent Mesplay, 44, of San Diego, California; Ralph Nader, 73, of Winsted, Connecticut; and Kat Swift, 34, of San Antonio, Texas.
Although Cynthia McKinney has announced she is not seeking the nomination, her name will remain on the ballot unless she notifies the California Secretary of State to delete her name.
The Michigan presidential primary is set for January 15, 2008. The law requires the state Democratic and Republican Parties (the only parties entitled to a presidential primary in Michigan) to submit a list of presidential candidates by September 11, 2007.
Alan Keyes declared for the Republican nomination on September 17, 2007, too late to be included on the Republican Party’s list. Therefore, if he wants to be on the ballot, he must submit 11,569 signatures by October 23, 2007. Any registered voter can sign. The formula is one-half of 1% of the Republican presidential vote in November 2004. Thanks to the commenter for this correction.
The Republican presidential candidates who were on the Republican Party’s September 11 list, and who are guaranteed a place on the ballot, are Sam Brownback, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Fred Thompson.
Democrats who will be on the Democratic presidential primary automatically are Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson.
Michigan’s most crowded presidential primary ballot in the past was the Republican presidential primary of 1996, when 10 Republicans were listed. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news.
The American Independent Party (California branch of the Constitution Party) has asked the Secretary of State to list these presidential candidates on its presidential primary ballot: Don Grundmann of San Leandro, California; Michael Hadlock of San Diego, California; Max J. Riekse of Fruitport, Michigan; and Diane Templin of Escondido, California.
