The Green Party of Missouri, which uses the ballot name “Progressive Party” submitted almost 15,000 signatures on July 24, to meet the statewide requirement of 10,000.
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Louisiana is holding a special election this year to fill a vacancy in the office of Secretary of State. The Louisiana Libertarian Party has nominated Rayburn Clipper for that office. Since the party is ballot-qualified, he will appear on the ballot with the label “Libertarian” next to his name. He will be the first person to run for that office with the name of a party (other than Democratic or Republican) on the ballot next to his name, since 1912, when the Socialist Party ran J. W. Basset for that office.
Louisiana kept all minor party and independent candidates off its ballot between 1918 and 1947. In 1948 it eased ballot access for minor party and independent candidates for president, but it continued to keep all minor party and independent candidates (for office other than president) off, until 1970.
In 2004 the legislature drastically eased the definition of “party”, effective in 2005. As a result of the 2004 change, the Libertarian, Green and Reform Parties became qualified parties. This is the first time the new law has had an effect in a statewide race. Under the law in existence before 2004, any Libertarian or member of any unqualified party could have been on the ballot by paying a filing fee, but no party label would have been shown. This year, the label “Libertarian” will be next to Clipper’s name.
Oregon State Senator Ben Westlund, one of many prominent independent candidates for Governor this year, has more than 36,000 signatures, double the requirement, and seems very likely to be on the ballot this year.
Unity08 is not yet a political party, and it may never become one. However, already it has inspired an independent candidate for Congress this year to use “Unity” as his ballot label. Harry Welty is on the ballot in Minnesota’s 8th congressional district this year as an independent candidate, and is ballot label is “Unity”. He says he was inspired by Unity08 to choose that label. Welty is the only opponent of the Democratic and Republican nominees in the 8th district race. He also ran as an independent for the same office in 1992 and polled over 22,000 votes, placing 3rd out of 4 candidates.
On July 22, the National Democratic Party’s Rules & Bylaws Committee passed changes to the party’s national rules, regarding dates of presidential delegate selection events. The new rules give Iowa permission to hold a caucus on January 14, permit Nevada to hold a caucus on January 19, permit New Hampshire to hold a primary on January 22, and permit a South Carolina primary on January 29. All others could begin on February 5.
The change is subject to approval by the Democratic National Committee at its meeting on August 19.
Of course a national political party cannot dictate to states when to hold primaries. New Hampshire is likely to hold its primary earlier. However, national party rules can be enforced at the national convention. States in violation of national party rules run the risk of having their delegations rejected.