On May 15, the Oklahoma Supreme Court refused to hear the Libertarian Party’s ballot access case, a case that had been filed in 2004. The case is Libertarian Political Organization v Clingman. The party had spent a great deal of money in 2004 to submit a petition signed by 2% of the last vote cast, but the law requires 5%. The party had felt that turning in a petition signed by 27,000 signatures would establish that it had a modicum of voter support. The fact that no one else even tried in 2004, and that Oklahoma voters were the only voters with no choices for president on their ballot except Bush and Kerry in 2004, also seemed powerful evidence that the law is too strict.

The Oklahoma Constitution says that elections shall be “free and equal”, but that doesn’t seem to mean anything in the real world. Oklahoma is one of 5 states that doesn’t permit write-ins, so Oklahoma voters who wanted to vote for someone other than Bush or Kerry in 2004 completely lost their right to vote.

On May 14, the American Research Group released poll results for both major party presidential contests. 600 likely voters in each major party’s primaries and caucuses participated.

Republican results: Giuliani 28%; McCain 24%; Romney 8%; each of the other declared candidates who were included in the recent Simi Valley Republican debate had 1%. 13% were undecided or chose someone else. In addition, a few candidates who have not declared were included: Gingrich 13%, Fred Thompson 6%, Hagel 1%.

Democratic results: Clinton 39%; Obama 22%; Edwards 19%; Biden 3%; Dodd 2%; Richardson 2%; Kucinich 1%; undecided and other 11%. Gravel was apparently not listed as a choice. Thanks to Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for this news.

On May 14, the California Senate passed SB 37, the National Popular Vote bill. The vote was 22-14.