Posted in Ballot Access News:
On November 12, New Hampshire State Senator Theodore Gatsas resigned his seat in the New Hampshire Senate, because he had just been elected Mayor of Manchester. Shortly afterwards, the New Hampshire Executive Council said there will be a special election to fill that empty seat on February 16. It said that any independent candidate petitions for that race would be due January 12.
Joseph R. Hoell decided to run in that election with the ballot label “Constitution Party”. He needs 750 valid signatures. The New Hampshire independent petition for State Senate is one of the most difficult in the nation, even in regular elections, when candidates have approximately six months to get their signatures. A typical New Hampshire State Senate district cast about 26,000 votes for President in November 2008, so 750 signatures is about 2.5% of the active electorate. The only states with a higher percentage for that office, for independent candidates, are Georgia, North Carolina, California, Illinois, and North Dakota.
Last year the New Hampshire election code was amended to say that independent candidate petitions may only be circulated in even-numbered years. However, on December 10, the New Hampshire Secretary of State said that law doesn’t apply to special elections, even though the law itself doesn’t specify any exception for special elections. Thanks to Ken Blevins for this news.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Joey G. Dauben // Dec 21, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I spent eight months in New Hampshire this year, and there was so much activism among the Republican Party grassroots that it would be incendiary for a person to seek another ballot line to restore liberty.
The NH Republican Volunteer Coalition led by Kevin McHugh is just one example. Those guys are Ron Paul-loving Goldwater-drinking liberty lovers. They have the resources to dispatch to any special election (I worked on a couple) in that state.
Seriously, these indy guys should consider the GOP in special elections. You’ll find that it’s easier to get the job done as a liberty-loving Republican in liberty-loving New Hampshire than anywhere else on the ballot.
2 Don Lake .......... More Paul Harvey Moments // Dec 21, 2009 at 4:42 pm
I can not agree totally or on a West Coast basis, but former Lib San Diegian Ken Bourke, he of the SUCESSFUL Dale Akiki salvation effort, multiple office runs and one time Libertarian presence, seems to concur. He also adored Richard Rider but not the on going ad infinitum debating society.
3 Richard Winger // Dec 21, 2009 at 8:45 pm
If libertarian-leaning Republicans in the New Hampshire legislature are so effective, why is New Hampshire the only state in the nation that has made it more difficult for parties to remain on the ballot (during the last 12 years, that is). And why did the New Hampshire legislature in September 2009 again make ballot access more difficult, by outlawing collecting signatures in odd years?
4 Joey G. Dauben // Dec 22, 2009 at 2:28 pm
If I controlled a small state, city or governmental subdivision and I had my own people running it, would you want to lose that?
Of course, I’m a capitalist, but I’m also a fan of the multi-party system in Canada. So, to answer your question, beats me.
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