From Ballot Access News:
Except for newly-qualifying parties, Idaho technically provides for a primary for all ballot-qualified parties. However, no primary is held when only one candidate files in any particular party’s primary for any particular office.
But, there will be a Constitution Party primary ballot printed up for the May 20, 2014 primary in the First Legislative district. That is because two candidates filed for the party’s nomination for State Senate. They are Christian Fioravanti and Jack Mervin. As far as is known, this is the first primary held for any party, other than the Republican and Democratic Parties, in Idaho, in decades. See this story.
The Constitution Party had the option late last year to notify the state that it wants to open its primary to independent voters, a step the Democratic Party took. But the Constitution Party did not exercise its option to tell the state that it wants independents to be able to vote in its primary, so the Constitution nomination will be settled by the party’s registered voters who live in that district.
From the article cited, written by by George Prentice:
Among those state Senate candidates who have filed to run in District 1 are Christian Fioravanti of Bonners Ferry and Jack Mervin of the tiny town of Blanchard, both Constitution Party candidates, which will force a rare primary ballot for the party that boasts only 1,713 registered members statewide. Ballots will need to be printed for Bonner and Boundary counties, which both sit within the boundaries of District 1.
“The only people who can vote in that particular primary will be members of the Constitution Party,” Tim Hurst, chief deputy in the Secretary of State’s Office, told BW. “The only other situation might be is if an unaffiliated voter chose to be affiliated with the Constitution Party. That could increase their numbers, but those two counties are predominantly Republican.”
As of March 6, only 71 citizens in Bonner County and 13 in Boundary County were officially registered with the Constitution Party.
Cody makes a good point. I would imagine that if these two were active in the CP before, they must already know each other. Are they feuding? On the other hand, despite the financial primary issue, it does provide some good publicity to the party so I could see them deciding to run together.
Is the Idaho CP doing this on purpose, or do those two candidates really want to run for the same office?
I talk about it in the context of establishment parties getting political welfare also.
Yes, parties should pay for their own conventions. But isn’t it amusing how few talk about this unless an alternative party primary arises. The value of this primary, is to highlight the folly of government funded political party primaries.
Exactly.
Wonder the vote count. 50 votes for the winner? 25 for the runner-up? Love it!
No, but a primary is not an election. It’s a way a party selects its nominee for an election. That is a private party-related activity, and should not be subsidized with taxpayer money.
By that reasoning, would all elections be a waste of tax dollars?
This is why states should allow parties to nominate by convention, and make parties pay for their own primaries.
Sounds like a waste of tax dollars.