Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr has been elected to the Libertarian Party National Committee. He will represent Region 4, which consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Barr has been a life member of the Libertarian Party for some time. He was in Congress as a Republican from January 1995 through January 2003.
It is already too late for any more bills to be introduced in the 2007 session of the Maine legislature. The session started December 6, 2006, and that was also the deadline for all bills to be introduced.
Unfortunately, no Maine legislator introduced a bill to ease the definition of “party”. In 2005, the legislature had virtually passed a bill to improve the definition of “party”, except that the bill was tabled for budgetary reasons at the last instant. It is somewhat likely that bill could have passed in 2007, but since it was not introduced by the deadline, that hope is shattered.
If you are thinking about finding a state legislator to introduce a bill to improve any law, this is the time to act.
Michigan Democrats haven’t held a meaningful Presidential Primary since 1992, because Michigan law requires an open primary in which the voter decides in the secrecy of the voting booth which party’s primary to vote in. This type of primary violates national Democratic Party rules.
Legislative leaders from both major parties have agreed to pass a bill early in 2007, amending the presidential primary law. If the proposed bill passes, the new Michigan presidential primary will require voters to choose which party’s primary they wish to vote in. The parties will be permitted to retain this list, but it will not otherwise be a public record.
This list is not the same as having any voter register as a member of any party. Michigan has never placed a question about party membership on voter registration forms, and no one is suggesting that idea.
A bill to make this change failed to pass in the 2006 legislature, and that legislature has now adjourned, but the 2007 bill is considered almost certain to pass.
On December 14, New York State Board of Elections released the official vote tally for the November 7, 2006 election.
The gubernatorial vote percentages for each party are:
Democratic 61.77% (best gubernatorial since 1986)
Republican 24.92% (worst gubernatorial since 1990)
Independence 4.30% (worst gubernatorial since 1994)
Conservative 3.80% (worst gubernatorial since 1986)
Working Families 3.50% (best gubernatorial ever)
Green .95% (best gubernatorial since 1998)
Libertarian .33% (best gubernatorial since 1990)
Socialist Workers .13% (best gubernatorial since 1990)
In 2006, there was also an independent New York gubernatorial candidate with the ballot slogan “Rent is Too High”. He got .30%.
In 2006, the Working Families and Independence Parties cross-endorsed the Democratic nominee; the Conservative Party cross-endorsed the Republican nominee.
On December 12, the North Dakota Secretary of State’s office indicated that the Libertarian Party petition to be on the 2008 ballot has enough valid signatures. 7,000 were needed and the party submitted 8,500.
Also on December 12, the Maryland State Board of Elections said that the Green Party petition to be on the 2008 and 2010 ballots has enough signatures.
The Maryland Libertarian Party expects to turn in its petition by December 28.
The North Dakota Secretary of State’s office will be checking the 2008 Constitution Party petition during the week of December 18-22.
