Source: Ballot Access News

On May 5, Judge James R. Browning of the 9th circuit died, at the age of 93. See this story. Judge Browning consistently ruled in favor of the ability of minor parties and independent candidates to gain access for the ballot. In 1985, he wrote the decision in Socialist Workers Party v Secretary of State of Washington, 765 F.2d 1417, which struck down Washington state’s law requiring minor party and independent candidates to poll at Read more »

Source: Ballot Access News

On May 7, the ACLU of Southern California filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the California procedure by which newly-qualifying parties get on the ballot. The plaintiffs include the Constitution Party of California and the California Justice Committee, which is attempting to raise money to qualify the Justice Party (Rocky Anderson’s party). Here is the complaint. Read more »

Source: Ballot Access News

The Green Party presidential candidates will debate each other in San Francisco on Saturday, May 12. The debate will include Roseanne Barr, Kent Mesplay, and Jill Stein. The location is the Victoria Theater at 2961 16th Street, at the corner of Mission. The event runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The cost is between $10 and $20 on a sliding scale. The debate host will be Rose Aguilar, host of “Your Call” on KALW-FM and author Read more »

Source: Ballot Access News

The New York Times has this story about the U.S. Senate race in Maine, a race in which independent Angus King is expected to win. No independent or minor party nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine has ever before polled even as much as 10% of the vote, all the way back to the beginning of direct elections for U.S. Senate. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link. Read more »

Source: Independent Political Report

It was reported at the end of April that the campaign of former Louisiana governor and current leading Americans Elect and Reform Party presidential candidate Buddy Roemer had complied a list of 23 potential running mates.

For Wikinews, I asked Roemer campaign manager Carlos Sierra if he knew who was on the list. He replied that he did, but that the campaign was keeping it a secret. He Read more »

Source: Independent Political Report

This article tackles the question of how well Johnson and Goode might do in their respective home-states and in various battleground states in general.

So what’s an uncompromising Constitutional Conservative – like, say, Jamie Johnson of Iowa’s Republican State Central Committee, who vows “My conscience will not let me help” Mitt Romney — supposed to do? Read more »

Source: Independent Political Report

Gary Johnson was recently found to have been polling at 15% in his home-state in New Mexico. However, now the same polling company has conducted a survey which says he is polling at 8% in Montana too.

The poll asked: “If the candidates for President this fall were Democrat Barack Obama, Republican Mitt Romney, and Libertarian Gary Johnson, who would you vote for?” Read more »

Source: Independent Political Report

The Libertarian Party often runs former Republicans for office, and occasionally former Democrats, but it’s rare indeed to see them running a former Green Party candidate for office as one of their own.

The Libertarian Party recently selected former State Rep. Robert “Bobby” Tullis, of Mineral Springs, as its nominee for Arkansas’ 4th District congressional seat. Tullis, who Read more »

Source: Green Party Watch

According to the Convention Minutes of the Maine Green Independent Party, at the Party’s May 5th meeting in Portland the Party voted by Caucus resulting in 7 Presidential Delegates for Jill Stein and 6 Presidential Delegates for Roseanne Barr. Maine is allotted 13 Delegates to the Green Party Presidential Nominating Convention in July.

The May 5th meeting follows county caucuses that were held between January and Read more »