Robert F. Kennedy and Others File Lawsuit Against Utah’s Ludicrous Independent Presidential Petition Deadline of January 8

Posted on by December 4, 2023
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On December 4, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and some supporters filed a federal lawsuit against the Utah independent presidential petition deadline of January 8, 2024. Maxfield v Henderson, 4:23cv-112. Here is the motion for injunctive relief.

In 1983 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Anderson v Celebrezze that independent presidential petition deadlines cannot be as early as March. In the wake of that decision, lower courts struck down deadllines in April, May, and June. In 1987, there was a moment at which every state had a means for an independent presidential candidate to get on the ballot in July, August, or September.

But during the years since, many states have moved their deadlines to earlier dates. But Utah is the most extreme. In 2022 the legislature moved the deadline from August to early January. And the Utah deadline realistically is in December, because January 8 is the deadline for the counties to have checked the signatures, which means they must be submitted in December.

In 1984, Lyndon LaRouche sued Utah over its April 15 deadline, and the state admitted it could not defend its deadline, and moved it to September, later moving it to August.

Ohio Secretary of State Says His Office Will Finish Checking No Labels Party Petition by July 2024

Posted on by December 4, 2023
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This Cincinnati Enquirer article about minor party and independent presidential candidates in Ohio quotes Frank LaRose, Ohio Secretary of State, as saying his office will have finished checking the validity of the No Labels party petition “by July 2024.” The petition was submitted in the spring of 2023. It is unparalleled that any state take so long to check the validity of a petition for political party recognition.

The requirement is 40,345 valid signatures. The last time any group did the party petition in Ohio was 2018, when the Libertarian Party qualified. The state checked that petition in a matter of weeks.

Peace & Freedom Presidential Primary Ballot Will Contain Three Names

Posted on by December 3, 2023
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The Peace & Freedom Party, which has its own presidential primary in California, will have three names on the ballot: Cornel West, Claudia De La Cruz, and Jasmine Sherman. Thanks to C.T. Weber for this news.

Claudia De La Cruz is the presidential nominee of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

Here is the campaign website for Jasmine Sherman.

The PFP primary is not binding. The nominee of the party is chosen in August by the state central committee. The primary is March 5.

Texas Republican Primary Ballot May Include a Referendum on Whether Texas Should Secede from the United States

Posted on by December 2, 2023
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Texas does not have the statewide initiative or referendum for state laws or constitutional amendments, but it does have provision for a non-binding referendum to be placed on partisan primary ballots. Section 172.088 of the Texas election code requires signatures equal to 5% of that party’s primary vote for Governor, in the last gubernatorial primary. Currently for Republicans, that requires 97,709 signatures.

A group has been circulating a referendum petition intended for the March 2024 Republican primary ballot, that asks if Texas should secede from the U.S. The petition deadline is December 1. It is not clear if the group got enough signatures, but even if they didn’t, the state party committee could also vote to put that referendum on the Texas Republican primary ballot. Thanks to Mike Drucker for this news.