Original blog posts in Ballot Access News by Richard Winger. Posted to IPR by Paulie.
Montana Bills for Registration by Party are Tabled
Two Montana bills to institute registration by party have been tabled. HB 248, by Rep. Ken Peterson (R-Billings) would have set up closed primaries, but it was tabled on January 28. SB 186, by Senator Joe Balyeat (R-Bozeman), which would have set up voluntary registration by party, was tabled on January 26.
Senator Balyeat also has SB 243, which would propose a constitutional amendment requiring that run-offs be held after any general election in which no one got at least 50% of the vote. The Senate State Administration heard the bill on January 28 and has not yet acted.
New Arizona Registration Data Shows More Independent Voters
Arizona’s Secretary of State has posted new data on the number of registered voters. Compared to October 22, 2008, the share of voters registered “independent” has risen. Independents were 27.60% in October 2008, but are now at 28.01%.
Democrats declined from 34.22% to 34.10%. Republicans declined from 37.44% to 37.15%. Libertarians were static, at .61% in both tallies. Greens went up from .13% to .14%. Parties whose registration is below .667% in November 2009 will be removed from the ballot. Assuming the number of registered voters stays the same between now and then, Libertarians will need another 1,845 members, and Greens will need another 16,273 members.
Sponsor Found for Utah Ballot Access Bill
Utah Representative Carl Wimmer (R-Herriman) says he will introduce a bill to ease the definition of “political party”, from a group that polled 2% of the statewide vote in the last election, to a group that polled 2% of the statewide vote in either of the last two elections.
Under existing law, it is fairly easy for a party to pass the vote test in a presidential election year, because there are always five or six statewide offices up in presidential years. But it is difficult for a minor party to remain ballot-qualified in a midterm year, because there is never any statewide race up in mid-term years, except U.S. Senate (and in one third of the midterm years, there is no statewide office up at all).
When there is no statewide office up at all, the only way any party can remain ballot-qualified is to poll approximately 6% for one of the U.S. House races. The vote test applies to any office (whether statewide or not), but the denominator for the percentage is the statewide vote for all 3 U.S. House races put together.
In 2008, both the Constitution and Libertarian Parties met the vote test and are now ballot-qualified. The Constitution Party did the good work of finding a sponsor for the 2009 bill.
Arkansas Ballot Access Bill Introduced
The bill to ease the definition of “political party” has been introduced in the Arkansas legislature. It is HB 1247, sponsored by Representative Richard Carroll (Green-North Little Rock) and Senator Mary Anne Salmon (D-North Little Rock). The bill changes the vote test from President/Governor, to any statewide race. It also says when a party meets the vote test, it is automatically qualified for the next two elections.
11 responses so far ↓
1 Donald Raymond Lake // Jan 30, 2009 at 4:55 am
Thx Italian Desert, just think I could have dropped by BAN separately all by my self!
2 Eric Dondero // Jan 30, 2009 at 9:07 am
I met Balyeat’s son once in a parking lot of a Bozeman truck stop to give him petitions. Nice kid. He looks totally like a Libertarian, ’90s grunge look. But he’s not. He’ll tell you straight out he’s a “staunch Conservative, who doesn’t agree with Libertarians on social issues.”
Then he’ll add; “It’s my Dad who’se the total Libertarian.” He told me how him and his Dad, argue all night some times about social matters, that his Dad is completely Libertarian on everything.
3 paulie cannoli // Jan 30, 2009 at 11:23 am
Donald Raymond Lake // Jan 30, 2009 at 4:55 am
Thx Italian Desert, just think I could have dropped by BAN separately all by my self!
Thx Duck jump in a lake,
To think, nobody forced you to read IPR or comment here.
I happen to think it’s a service to our readers to give them one place to read and discuss all these articles instead of going to several different party websites, BAN, etc. There are other posts at BAN that I do not find to be applicable to IPR.
If you don’t like it, just skip over it, or keep your tired ass at TPW. This is a free service, and I get paid zero. Some thanks would be nice every once in a while, or at least you could shut the fuck up since you are not providing any alternative, only complaining.
But I tell you what, I’ll meet you halfway. Keep bitching more, and I’ll post here less. I’m sure your life will be much enriched if there is less content at IPR.
I normally would not dignify duck jump in a lake with a response, but I’m just in that kind of mood this morning.
Fuck off Don. Seriously. You’re getting on my last nerve, jackass.
4 Libertarian Joseph // Jan 30, 2009 at 11:39 am
Paulie is nothing but a petty plagiarizer.
5 paulie cannoli // Jan 30, 2009 at 11:47 am
OK, another moron that I normally don’t respond to. But like I said, I’m in that kind of mood.
Plagiarism involves passing off content as one’s own. The source here is clearly credited, as it is everywhere else I quote someone.
Furthermore, Richard has given me express permission to reprint his articles.
Now, what does LJ contribute? Absolutely nothing. Maybe LJ and Don can go start their own site since they have so many great ideas.
I’m sure they will be outcompeting us in no time. How about it, douchebags…put up or shut up. Show us how it should be done.
Now, give me some more incentive to stop posting, please.
6 paulie cannoli // Jan 30, 2009 at 12:13 pm
To everyone else who is not being a prick,
I apologize for my tone. I am still trying to overcome my tendency to behave this way.
7 Trent Hill // Jan 30, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Paulie,
I appreciate your great work, you rock! =P
8 paulie cannoli // Jan 30, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Thanks Trent. And thanks for helping keep this site alive.
Once again, sorry for the outburst. I just got off twenty days of antibiotics (which means no alcohol at all) and went out last night for a Free The Hops beer tasting.
Seven glasses of beer is usually nothing for me, even if it’s strong beer like this was, but I’ve been tee-totaling, so I actually got a little buzzed. Anyway, hangovers are more about dehydration than getting trashed, and I get dehydrated easily.
Not that this excuses making fun of veterans with PTSD and related mental illnesses (Lake) and the mildly retarded (LJ). Sorry for the ouburst; I’ll try to contain myself.
9 Trent Hill // Jan 30, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I say give ‘em hell. If commenters don’t approve, they can stop reading or they can argue the points–but in no way do I expect you, or any blogger, to take ridicule for doing a good job.
10 Sean // Jan 31, 2009 at 9:40 pm
For my part, Paulie, I’d say ignore them (which I believe has been your strategy in the past). Only if they pass on disinformation — challenge the disinformation if that seems best .
My 2 cents…
11 Brian Holtz // Jan 31, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Paulie, @5 was perfect, except for not deleting the one word ‘douchebag’ before submitting. The extent to which he’s a douchebag is obvious from the rest of your comment to him.
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