Minnesota Legislative Hearing on Restrictive Ballot Access Bill is Cancelled

Posted on by February 28, 2023
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The Minnesota Senate State and Local Government had been scheduled to hear testimony on SF 1827 on Tuesday, February 28. However, the hearing was cancelled at the last moment. In anticipation of the bill, though, a press conference organized by minor parties got some publicity. See this story.

The bill would have stiffened the definition of a qualified party from a group that got 5% at either of the last two elections, to 10%.

UPDATE: the news story has a link to a video of the press conference, which is worth watching. It lasts about 35 minutes.

Arkansas Ballot Access Bill Fails to Pass Senate Committee

Posted on by February 28, 2023
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On February 28, the Arkansas Senate Judiciary Committee considered SB 277, the bill to improve ballot access for new and minor parties. The bill received four “yes” votes, but because there was one “No” vote, and because two members of the committee were absent, the bill didn’t move ahead. Arkansas legislative rules require bills to receive a majority of the committee members, so if someone doesn’t vote, that is the same as a “no” vote. The committee has eight members so five votes are needed.

Probably the bill will be brought up again. The Secretary of State supports the bill.

February 2023 Ballot Access News Print Edition

Posted on by February 28, 2023
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Ballot Access News
February 2023 – Volume 38, Number 9

This issue was printed on blue paper.

Table of Contents

  1. BALLOT ACCESS IMPROVEMENT BILLS INTRODUCED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NEW YORK
  2. CONSTITUTION PARTY WINS NORTH CAROLINA LAWSUIT
  3. NO LABELS PARTY
  4. ALASKA INITIATIVE TO RESTORE PARTY NOMINEES
  5. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY BILLS
  6. ELECTORAL COLLEGE BILLS
  7. BILLS TO RESTRICT BALLOT ACCESS
  8. VERMONT ALIEN VOTES
  9. BOOK REVIEW: THE POLITICS OF BALLOT DESIGN
  10. MINOR PARTY AND INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES BROKE RECORDS IN 2022
  11. SOUTH CAROLINA U.S. HOUSE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES INVALIDATED
  12. 2022 VOTE FOR STATE SENATE
  13. 2022 VOTE FOR LOWER HOUSE OF STATE LEGISLATURE
  14. TWENTY NON-MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES ELECTED TO STATE OFFICE LAST YEAR
  15. WORKING FAMILIES PARTY REGAINS THIRD LINE IN CONNECTICUT
  16. CONNECTICUT REGISTRATION DATA
  17. TWO DEMOCRATIC STATE LEGISLATORS BECOME INDEPENDENTS
  18. CONSERVATIVE PARTY QUALIFIES IN FLORIDA
  19. SUBSCRIBING TO BAN WITH PAYPAL

North Dakota Senate Passes Bill to Injure Initiatives

Posted on by February 27, 2023
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On February 21, the North Dakota Senate passed SCR 4013 by 44-3. It requires initiative circulators to have lived in the state for 120 days before the first signature is collected. It bans paying initiative circulators. If the legislature passes it, it will go on the ballot in November 2024 for a public vote, because it is a constitutional amendment.

March 1 Print Edition of Ballot Access News Will be Somewhat Late

Posted on by February 27, 2023
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The print edition of Ballot Access News for March 1, 2023, will not be mailed out until March 1, Wednesday. There are three important legislative hearings on ballot access on Tuesday, February 28, and it seems desirable to be able to include news about those three hearings in that issue.

The three hearings are in New Hampshire, Arkansas (both for bills that help ballot access), and Minnesota (for a bill that injures it).