Connecticut Senator Andrew Maynard (D-Stonington) has introduced Proposed Bill 778, which cuts the number of signatures for statewide and U.S. House candidates, in the general election, down to 1,000 signatures. Current law requires 7,500 signatures for statewide candidates, and signatures equal to 1% for U.S. House candidates, which is always close to 3,000 signatures in midterm years and 2,400 in presidential years. The bill was introduced at the request of the Libertarian Party. In 2008, Connecticut was one of the five states in which the Libertarian Party was unable to place Bob Barr on the ballot. The other states in which Barr didn’t appear were West Virginia (which has since reduced its signature requirement), Louisiana, Maine, and Oklahoma (where a bill is pending to reduce the signature requirement).
Thanks to Marc Montoni for this news.
If the Working Families Party comes out in support of this bill it may pass. Many of the majority Democrats were cross endorsed by the WFP and the Governor was too. I will get work on this one trying to get the votes.
Please keep us updated of any progress.
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State by state, Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola are allowing RC Cola and the UnCola to participate in basic free-market competition.
I wish someone with deeeep pockets would sue the old parties for anti-trust violations. Heck, sue the US government for the same thing. Who gives them the right to set all the rules for schooling, mail, etc
Oh, wow — Richard Winger gave me the hat tip for forwarding the notice along to him. I wonder if Aaron will object? Gotta keep him happy, after all.
I personally requested that such a bill be introduced to reduce costs, increase participation and highlight the state’s inability to even keep up with the current requirement. And it was. The takeaway is that you should all ask your state legislators, wherever you are – and make cost a selling point.
Citizen1 – the chair of the Working Families Party was notified; so were the chairs of the other third parties in CT. I think we need to hit this hard and get it through.
The time is right, and once we succeed, ballot access problems in CT end. The town clerks save time, the state saves money, the potential for litigation is reduced, everyone has more choices and everyone walks away happy.