Pennsylvania Ballot Access Argued in 3rd Circuit

Posted on by July 10, 2006
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On July 10, the 3rd Circuit heard Rogers v Cortes, 06-2241. This is the Pennsylvania ballot access case. Pennsylvania has 5 qualified parties (Republican, Democratic, Green, Libertarian and Constitution), but treats the parties that have fewer than 1,212,000 registered voters as though they weren’t qualified, for ballot access purposes. This means the latter three parties must submit 67,000 signatures this year to have their statewide nominees on the ballot, even though they all polled enough votes in 2004 to meet the “party” definition.

The panel was composed of Judges Jane Roth, D. Brooks Smith, and Ruggero Aldisert. Judge Roth already has a very good record on ballot access. Judge Smith, who has never had a ballot access case, seemed to believe that since the parties met the vote test in 2004, they shouldn’t be required to submit petitions in 2006. However, Judge Aldisert seemed to think it wasn’t important that the parties had met the vote test in 2004.

The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition held a rally across the street from the courthouse, before the hearing, and has already received TV coverage in Philadelphia.

AFL-CIO Endorsed Green Legislator for Re-Election

Posted on by July 9, 2006
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On June 17, the Maine AFL-CIO endorsed Maine state Representative John Eder for re-election. This is the first time the AFL-CIO has endorsed a Green Party nominee for state legislature when there was a Democratic nominee also in the race. The AFL-CIO, or various component parts of it, has also been giving official support to the Working Families Party in certain states, and the Labor Party in South Carolina. This increasing interest on the part of the AFL-CIO in parties other than the two major parties is highly significant, and the national mainstream news media is missing the story.

Frank Zeidler Dies

Posted on by July 8, 2006
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On July 7, Frank Zeidler died at the age of 93. He had been the Mayor of Milwaukee between 1948 and 1960. He was a lifelong member of the Socialist Party, and he was always considered to be a Socialist Party politician. However, Milwaukee city elections were technically non-partisan. Zeidler was a much-loved figure during his term of office and since then. He was also the Socialist Party’s presidential candidate in 1976.

Georgia State Court Enjoins Photo ID Requirement

Posted on by July 8, 2006
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On July 7, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melvin Westmoreland blocked the relatively new Georgia law that requires voters to present government-issued photo ID’s, in order to vote at the polls. Assuming the injunction stands, the old law, requiring ID (but not necessarily government-issued photo ID) will be in force instead. Lake v Perdue, Fulton Co. Superior Court, 2006-cv-119207.

Possible Independent Gubernatorial Candidate in South Carolina

Posted on by July 8, 2006
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Republican State Senator Jake Knotts is mulling over whether to be an independent candidate for Governor. He needs 10,000 valid signatures by July 17. If he qualifies, he will be the first independent candidate for Governor in the history of government-printed ballots in South Carolina. South Carolina has only been using government-printed ballots since 1950.

Other states that have never had an independent candidate on a government-printed ballot, for Governor, are Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico and North Carolina.