The Peace and Freedom Party was added back to the June primary ballot today, two days after the Secretary of State Bruce McPhersoner ruled the party didn’t have enough registered voters to qualify.

McPherson had stunned observers when he invented a new interpretation of the rule regarding ballot access.

Oakland attorney Bob Evans, the party central committee’s recording secretary credited Richard Winger with providing McPherson historical information on the law’s application.

Posted by Eric Garris

The January 31 hearing in the New Hampshire House Election Law Committee went very well. Everyone who testified was in favor of the bill, or else was neutral (the Secretary of State was neutral). The bill would lower the vote test from 4% for Governor or US Senator, to 2% for Governor or US Senator. It would also lower the statewide independent candidate petition (with party label) from 3,000 signatures, to 2,000 signatures. The committee will decide whether to recommend the bill in a week or so.

Congressman David Obey’s public funding of congressional campaigns bill is HR 4694. Nominees of parties that had averaged 25% of the vote for US House in that district (over the last two elections) would get full public funding. Also, independent candidates who had averaged 25% would also get full public funding. All others would be required to submit petitions signed by 10% of the last vote cast, for partial funding; and 20% petitions for full funding. Candidates not qualifying for partial funding would be barred from spending any privately raised money. The co-sponsors are these 7 Democrats: Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, Barney Frank and James McGovern of Massachusetts, Henry Waxman and Bob Filner of California, Steve Israel of New York, and Tim Ryan of Ohio.