Source: Ballot Access News

Virgil Goode, Constitution Party presidential nominee in 2012, is one of two co-plaintiffs in a case now pending in the Alabama Supreme Court that says the Alabama Secretary of State has a duty to examine the qualifications of presidential candidates before printing their names on the ballot. Briefs from both sides have been filed, and the Court will wait for a reply brief and then decide whether to hear the case. It is Read more »

Source: Ballot Access News

On April 4, the Alabama Senate Constitution, Campaign Finance, Ethics & Elections Committee passed SB 265 by a vote of 5-0. This is the bill by Senator Cam Ward that reduces the number of signtures for newly-qualifying parties and non-presidential independent candidates. It also provides for a later petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties. Thanks to Joshua Cassity for this news. Read more »

Source: Ballot Access News

The lawsuit filed by the Alabama Constitution, Green, and Libertarian Parties in 2012, arguing that the March petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties is unconstitutional, had been set for a trial in the late spring of 2013. However, the state requested that it be postponed until September, and the plaintiffs agreed. It is possible that the state believes the ballot access bill now pending in the legislature Read more »

Source: Independent Political Report

Region 7 Report.
Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas.
March 16-17, 2013.
By Gary Johnson and Paulie Frankel.
Alabama.

The Libertarian Party of Alabama will hold its next state convention on Saturday, June Read more »

Source: Ballot Access News

The Alabama Senate Constitution & Elections Committee will hear SB 265 on March 19. This is the bill to lower the number of signatures needed for newly-qualifying parties and independent candidates to get on the ballot. Thanks to Joshua Cassity for this news.

Source: Ballot Access News

On March 4, the Birmingham News again published a column by Joey Kennedy, deploring Alabama ballot access and publicizing SB 265, the bill to cut the number of signatures in half and improve the deadline somewhat. The newspaper had a similar column last month.

Source: Ballot Access News

Alabama State Senator Cam Ward’s ballot access bill is SB 265. It cuts the number of signatures in half (for newly-qualifying parties, and non-presidential independent candidates), and provides for a later petition deadline for party petitions.

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Source: Ballot Access News

Alabama Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) will introduce a ballot access bill on February 28. The legislative counsel has finished drafting the bill. It will lower the number of signatures for a newly-qualifying party from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote to 1.5% of the last gubernatorial vote. It moves the deadline for party petitions from the day of the primary to three weeks after the run-off primary. For 2014, the Read more »

Source: Ballot Access News

The Birmingham News hosts a one-hour chat today (Tuesday, February 26) with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joey Kennedy. Kennedy will discuss the current legislative session, including Senator Cam Ward’s ballot access reform. See this story. The ballot access bill is expected to get its bill number today (Tuesday, February 26).

Source: Ballot Access News

A ballot access improvement bill is expected to be introduced in North Carolina on Monday, February 25. It will reduce the number of signatures for newly-qualifying parties and independent candidates.

In Alabama, State Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) e-mails that he has introduced a similar bill in his state, although it still isn’t on the state legislature’s web page. Read more »