Two New York State Senators have introduced S1031, which would restore the definition of a qualified political party that existed before 2020. That old definition was a group that had polled 50,000 votes for Governor. The sponsors are Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan) and James Sanders (D-Queens).
The bill would not alter the petition requirement passed in 2020, 45,000 signatures for statewide office.
Last month, the No Labels Party submitted a petition to be a qualified party in Alabama. The signatures are still being checked.
The New Mexico House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs Committee will hear HB 54 on Friday, January 27, at 8:30 am. This is the bill to let independents choose a primary ballot, without having to join the party.
On December 15, the Forward Party started its petition in South Carolina.
South Carolina already has two other centrist parties on the ballot, the Independence Party and the Alliance Party.
In November 2022, the No Labels Party submitted its petition to be a qualified party in Ohio for 2023 and 2024. The Secretary of State sent the petition to the counties for verification earlier this month. Because the party submitted almost twice the required number, it is extremely likely the petition is valid.
Because No Labels submitted its petition so early, it won’t be a qualified party in 2025 and 2026, unless it polls at least 3% for president in 2024 (assuming it runs someone for president in 2024), or unless it does another petition in 2025. Ohio law is unique in that, after a party petition is submitted, the number of even-year elections that the party gains qualified status depends on when the petition was submitted, relative to the next even-numbered election. If No Labels had submitted its petition later than November 2023, it would automatically have been on through the November 2026 election.
