Fascinating story from WRAL, suggesting that Democratic operatives tried to persuade signers of a Green Party petition to ask that their names be removed, leading to the State Board of Elections voting not to certify the Green Party.
Category Archives: petition signature gathering
Techniques for Grassroots Campaign Volunteer Mobilization
Joe Spaulding, lead field strategist for the Voters Not Politicians Michigan independent redistricting campaign that got 440,000 signatures in 4 months without paying any signature gatherers, reveals some follicular (and data-supported) tactics for fighting diminishing returns out in canvass-land. Thread.
Ballot initiative skullduggery?
The plot thicks. Maybe.
Earlier this week, I’d mentioned a movement to amend state constitutions to prohibit voting by noncitizens in state elections, even though every state currently prohibits voting by noncitizens in state elections.
Now a report featuring speculation (and it is only that) about another motive for the campaign in Florida, where the nonprofit is based: the possible attempt to corner the market on petition circulators, to box out another campaign.
And in the middle of it all, the election administrators trying to keep up with the volume.
A fight over certifying referenda for signature-gathering
When partisan officials control the process for certifying summaries and titles for initiatives and referenda heading onto the ballot, there will be controversy along the way. This story is about alleged foot-dragging on beginning the petitioning process to validate a Missouri referendum on a new abortion law.
Montana Court Grants Relief in Challenge to Green Party Petition
From the conclusion of the district court order in the case challenging the Green Party’s candidate petition:
1. Certain signatures on the Petition are declared invalid …. Removal of these signatures results in the Petition not qualifying in the 34 House districts required by § 13-10-601,MCA.2. Plaintiffs’ complaint for a declaratory judgment removing the Montana Green Party from the election ballot is GRANTED.
2. The Green Party’s Petition is declared invalid and the Secretary is directed to remove the Montana Green Party from the election ballot. The Secretary, his agents, officers,
employees, and successors, and all persons acting in concert with each or any of them, are enjoined from implementing, enforcing, or giving any effect to certification of the Green Party’s Petition.
“Under the Gun in Petition Challenges”
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that armed private investigators visited a signatory to and circulator of third-party candidate petitions, trying to get them to sign affidavits that the signatures were fraudulent (h/t BAN).
Breaking: Divided 9th Circuit Strikes Down CA Law Requiring Identity of Ballot Measure Proponents on Face of Petition
The vote on this point in Chula Vista Citizens for Jobs v. Norris was 2-1. I expect this issue will go en banc and perhaps to the Supreme Court—with a decent chance of reversal.
Still No Word from Michigan AG as To Whether There Will Be an Appeal in Conyers Ballot Access Case
Time is short, so I’m guessing this means no appeal, but who knows?
See my earlier coverage on the potential for a successful appeal.
“New Jersey: Vineland mayoral recall gets more time due to big judicial ruling “
Recall Elections Blog: “Big news out of New Jersey that should have an impact beyond recalls….”
Similar issue to the Conyers decision today.
“Michigan SOS: Conyers will remain off Aug. 5 ballot”
Detroit News reports. But we are awaiting a ruling today from a U.S. District court in the federal lawsuit.
“How Political Insiders Control the Ballot”
Jeff Jacoby column on ballot access and Rep. Conyers.
“Conyers to invoke Nader case to get onto primary ballot”
Important look at the legal issues from the Detroit News.
On the relevance of the Nader case, Michigan is apparently taking the position that it is unconstitutional to limit petition signature gatherers to residents in presidential elections but not in state and local elections. Wow.
“An Incumbent Falls Afoul of Election Laws Designed to Protect Incumbents”
NYT”s “Taking Note” on Rep. Conyers.
“Conyers files federal lawsuit in fight to stay on primary ballot”
Yeah, there was little doubt this was coming.
[UPDATE: The story now clarifies that Conyers joined an existing suit and did not file a separate suit.]