On July 30, the Reform Institute issued a press release, calling attention to its excellent amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in N.Y. State Bd. of Elections v Lopez Torres. Both the amicus, and the press release, discuss the dismal state of New York state ballot access. See the press release here.

The Reform Institute is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, and is associated with U.S. Senator John McCain. It is almost ten years old and has sometimes been a friend of minor parties and independent candidates, and sometimes a foe. It has supported federal campaign finance laws that make it very difficult for new parties to attract large contributions, and it has sometimes supported “top-two” election systems that keep minor party members off the general election ballot. On the other hand, it has consistently condemed severe ballot access petition requirements.

In early August, the Tennessee Libertarian, Green and Constitution Parties will file a lawsuit, challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee’s ballot access laws for new or previously unqualified parties. Tennessee requires a petition signed by 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote. The petition must say that the signers are members. The petition is due 4 months before the primary.

No group has complied with this requirement since 1968. Tennessee and New Jersey are the only two states in which only the Democratic and Republican Parties have been qualified parties, during the last 25 years.

Tennessee is in the 6th circuit. Last year the 6th circuit ruled that Ohio’s new party petition requirement, which hadn’t been used successfully since 2000, is too difficult. That Ohio precedent will control this case.

Michael J. Dubin’s new book Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures 1796-2006 has just been published. To order, see www.mcfarlandpub.com (click the link for newly published books). The book is $45.

Never before has any reference work existed that tells the partisan line-up of each state legislative body, through history. The book will be especially valuable to show the extent to which parties other than the two major parties have elected state legislators.

Dubin is also the author of other very valuable reference books, especially United States Congressional Elections 1788-1997, the only book ever published that lists the vote for all candidates for Congress in U.S. history.