The Massachusetts initiative to allow two parties to jointly nominate the same candidate was defeated, 35% to 65%. However, the Working Families Party easily polled enough votes to become a qualified party in Massachusetts, for the first time.
Instant-Runoff Voting passed overwhelmingly in Oakland, California, for city offices.
In Utah, the only ballot-qualified party, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, is now the Constitution Party. The Libertarian Party, both Green Parties, and the Personal Choice Party failed to poll 2% in the Senate race, which was the only statewide race up this year. However, it only takes 2,000 signatures for a party to get back on the ballot.
The only Nevada Libertarian candidate for statewide office, Brendan Trainor, running for U.S. Senate, received .9%. The party will go off the ballot. The party made a tactical error by failing to run for any of the less important statewide offices, such as Secretary of State or Auditor. Voters are invariably more generous with their votes for minor parties for these races, since the “wasted vote” syndrome isn’t as powerful, because few voters care passionately who wins the lower state statewide races. UPDATE: this post is erroneous. See the posting of November 12.
The American Independent Party (the California branch of the Constitution Party) failed to poll 2% for any of the statewide races, and is disqualified. However, it has such a huge registration total, it will be restored to qualified status at the next registration tally, in February 2007.
