Harrisburg newspaper critical of Pennsylvania ballot access law

The Harrisburg Patriot-News writes that while the “Green and Constitution parties are recognized as official parties by state law” in Pennsylvania, “that’s not enough to guarantee them a spot on the ballot. Under a state law passed in 1986 with no public hearings or input, even recognized parties must go through the petition process each election if they don’t make up 15 percent of the state’s registered voters,” a standard which “would knock the Republican Party off the ballot in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia and Democrats in Utah.” Libertarian Bob Barr and independent Ralph Nader will be on the ballot in the state, “but Pennsylvanians won’t get a chance to vote for 13 other candidates…who will appear on ballots in at least one other state.”