Two independent candidates qualified for the Oklahoma general election ballot for statewide office, on June 5. One is running for Lieutenant Governor; the other for Corporation Commissioner.
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California held a special election to fill a vacancy in the 50th US House district, on June 6. The unofficial results: Republican 49.33%, Democratic 45.46%; independent 3.67%; Libertarian 1.53%.
The same district in November 2004 voted: Republican 58.41%; Democratic 36.49%; Green 2.25%; Constitution 1.63%; Libertarian 1.20%.
California held its primary on June 6. In the Democratic primary for Secretary of State, State Senator Debra Bowen has a large lead in the early returns. Bowen has been a champion of Instant-Runoff Voting, public funding of campaigns, and a foe of the companies that manufacture electronic vote-counting machines.
Alabama held its Democratic primary on June 6. The Democratic primary race for Secretary of State was between incumbent Nancy Worley, and Ed Packard, who has been head of the Elections Division within that office. Packard has been sympathetic to minor parties and independent candidates, whereas Worley has been uninterested. Worley won the primary by a ratio of approximately 3 to 1.
It is somewhat plausible that Alabama will be the only state in the US in November 2006 with a Democratic-Republican monopoly on the ballot for statewide office. Alabama is the only state with a petition requirement for Governor (for the easier of the minor party or independent routes to the ballot) in excess of 2% of the last vote cast. Alabama’s requirement is 3% of the last vote cast.
Former Massachusetts Governor William Weld today announced that he is dropping out of the New York Republican primary race for Governor, “in the name of party unity.”
A Weld media staff member told Ballot Access News (on condition of anonymity) that Weld would also be dropping out as the Libertarian Party nominee.
Weld had been nominated by the New York State Libertarian Party as its candidate for Governor. At their state convention, Weld had promised LP members that he would continue to run as their party’s nominee regardless of his status on the Republican ticket.