A Rasmussen Poll announced on August 9 shows these Texas gubernatorial results: Republican 35%, Democratic 18%, independent Kinky Friedman 18%, independent Carole Strayhorn 18%, other and undecided 11%. “Other” in this case is the Libertarian Party nominee, the 5th name on the ballot who has not been included by name by polling companies.
Massachusetts has four initiatives on its November 2006 ballot. The one that would legalize fusion, and also make it easier for a party to remain on the ballot, will be “Question Two”. The initiative would make it easier for a party to stay on the ballot by changing the definition of “party”. The existing definition requires a party to poll 3% of the vote for one statewide race, every two years (it is also a party if it has registration membership of 1% of the state total). The initiative would alter the definition of “party”, so that it is a group that got 3% for a statewide race at either of the last two elections.
If that proposed change had been in effect in 2004, the Green and Libertarian Parties would still be qualified in Massachusetts. In 2004, president was the only statewide office up in Massachusetts, and neither party could poll 3% for president. However, those two parties in recent years always poll 3% for U.S. Senate; it was just bad luck that there was no U.S. Senate race on the ballot in 2004.
The Working Families Party (indirectly) is the force behind the Massachusetts initiative. The only two unqualified parties on the ballot this year in Massachusetts are the Green and Working Families Parties, and it is likely they will both poll 3% for some statewide race, and be qualified for 2008. If the initiative passes, they would also then be qualified for 2010.
Susan Bysiewicz, Connecticut’s Secretary of State, said on August 10 that she will ask the Connecticut legislature next year to pass a law making it illegal for anyone who runs in a primary and loses, from then being an independent candidate.
Susan Bysiewicz, Connecticut’s Secretary of State, said on August 10 that she will ask the Connecticut legislature next year to pass a law making it illegal for anyone who runs in a primary and loses, from then being an independent candidate.
The Green Party statewide petition in Pennsylvania contains the names of the U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidates. The gubernatorial candidate, Marakay Rogers, will withdraw her connection with the statewide petition on August 11. If the pending ballot access case wins, she will be a candidate; but if it does not win, she will have withdrawn.
The petition challenge procedure in Pennsylvania is unlike that in any other state. If a candidate whose petition is challenged does not withdraw, and the procedure ends up showing that the petition didn’t have enough signatures, the candidate is liable for the costs of the challenge. In 2004, Ralph Nader submitted twice as many signatures as were required in Pennsylvania, but the challenge process determined that he didn’t have enough valid signatures. As a result, he was required by the Commonwealth Court to pay $85,000. He filed an appeal of that determination, which has been pending in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for months.
