The North Dakota Libertarian Party petition for party status has been completed. Assuming it is valid, the party will be ballot-qualified with its own primary in November 2024. Then it will need to poll 5% in November 2024 for for President or Governor to remain on the ballot. Only once has the party met the vote test in North Dakota (which includes different offices in mid-term years).
It is House Bill 1109. It was cross-filed in the Maryland Senate as SB1029. The main thrust of the legislation is to permanently legalize electronic signature gathering in Maryland.
Ballot Access News recently covered the subject of electronic signature gathering. Eric Blitz of the Libertarian Party of Maryland, who notified BAN of this development, is of the opinion that electronic signatures were essential to the success of the Libertarian Party of Maryland’s petition drive in 2020, when in person petitioning was legally restricted or otherwise hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Electronic signature have been considered in other state legislatures recently.
The referendum was found to be vague and unconstitutional. It will remain on the ballot, but its votes will not be counted unless this ruling is reversed in the interim.
Here is a story on this matter.
Here is the post on the website of the State of Hawaii Office of Elections.
The We The People Party is the political party of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. that is his vehicle for ballot status in states in which it is easier to qualify for the ballot as a political party than as an Independent candidate.
Even though there is still a remaining challenge period for all three petitions, signatures are very closely checked by the Hawaii Office of Elections, and there has never been a party struck from the Hawaii ballot by a challenge. Therefore, it is very likely that all three parties will make the Hawaii 2024 ballot.
The Libertarian, Green and Peace & Freedom parties of California have announced their support of the recently formed ProRep Coalition, which advocates for adoption of proportional representation (PR) voting systems in California. Here is the ProRep Coalition’s website.
Here is a ProRep plan for Proportional Representation in California.
There can be no doubt that the adoption of proportional voting systems would greatly boost the electability of minor party candidates. Frankly, I don’t see that happening without PR.
Another longstanding organization that has worked for electoral reform in California is Californians for Electoral Reform. Here is CFER’s website.
Thanks to Independent Political Report for the heads up!
