The Arizona Judiciary Committee approved SB 1218, even after hearing testimony from the public against it. The bill says that if someone tries and fails to get on the ballot as an independent candidate, he or she cannot then file as a declared write-in candidate. Paul Dunakin from the Nader testified against it, but no Senator made any comment in response to his testimony, and none of the Senators voted against it.
The Arizona State Senate Judiciary Committee will hear SB 1218 on the afternoon of Jan. 31. The hearing convenes at 1:30 pm, but SB 1218 will probably not be brought up until about 3:30 pm. SB 1218, sec. 6, says that if an independent candidate tries and fails to get on the ballot, then he or she can’t be a write-in candidate either. The bill seems aimed at Nader supporters. Nader tried and failed to qualify as an independent. Later, he filed for write-ins and status and received 2,773 write-in votes. If this bill had been in effect, these votes would not have been counted.
If you wish to oppose SB 1218, you can fax the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, John Huppenthal, at 602-417-3157. His e-mail is jhuppenthal@azleg.state.az.us.
Plaintiffs were backers of several initiatives that had been circulating during 2004. The proponents were legally permitted to finish the drive as late as December 2004, to qualify for the November 2006 ballot. Unfortunately, when they submitted the signatures in December 2004, the state said, “Sorry; the number of signatures depends on the last vote cast, and the number of votes cast in November 2004 (which is much higher than the 2002 number) now applies. The decision means that an initiative to legalize marijuana, and two initiatives dealing with tobacco, will now appear on the November 2006 ballot, unless of course the state appeals and gets the decision reversed.
Vermont is considered the state most likely to pass Instant-Runoff voting for federal and state elections. Both houses of the legislature are controlled by the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party of Vermont seems committed to IRV. S. 48, to create IRV in Vermont, has just been introduced.
State Senator Marilyn Jarrett has introduced SB 1218, which makes many miscellaneous election law changes. Among the change is a provision that if someone tries to get on the ballot as an independent candidate, and fails, then that person may not file to have his or her write-in votes counted.
The bill seems aimed at Nader voters. Nader tried and failed to qualify as an independent in Arizona. He then filed for write-in status, and elections officials tallied 2,773 write-ins for him. Under Jarrett’s bill, these voters would not have had their write-ins tallied. Anyone who wishes to try to persuade Senator Jarrett to drop this provision, can reach her at mjarrett@azleg.state.az.us. Her capitol office phone is 602-928-5288. She is a Republican and a member of the Heartland Institute.
