From Ballot Access News:
Sam Rankin of Billings, Montana, will attempt to get on the ballot this year as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Montana. See this story. No one has qualified as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Montana since 1936. Since 1895, Montana has had very severe ballot access laws for non-presidential independent candidates. The law requires signatures equal to 5% of the winning candidate’s vote in the last election. Rankin will need 17,417 valid signatures by May 27.
The deadline was formerly in March, but that deadline was declared unconstitutional in 2012 in Kelly v McCulloch, so the legislature moved it to May. It is conceivable that the May petition deadline is also unconstitutionally early. The primary is June 3. Generally it is unconstitutional for states to require independent candidates to file petitions before the primary.
Ironically, if Rankin had decided to run as the nominee of a new party, he would only need 5,000 signatures, but the deadline for that petition is March 13. Thanks to Mike Fellows for this news.
From the article cited, written by Mike Dennison:
Billings real estate broker Sam Rankin, a vocal critic of the influence of money on politics, said Monday he’s running as an Independent for Montana’s U.S. Senate seat up for election this year.
But before voters can have a chance to choose Rankin this November, he first must qualify for the ballot – and that will take the signatures of nearly 17,500 registered Montana voters, on petitions distributed by Rankin or his supporters.
“I’m just throwing this out there and hoping there is some fertile ground (for an Independent),” he said in an interview. “If there isn’t, I’ll know in a couple of months.“
Rankin said he thinks voters are frustrated by a Congress beholden to special interests, and that mainstream candidates spend much of their time calling donors to raise money for their campaigns.
If they don’t have a lot of money and/or volunteers they won’t succeed regardless, and if they do, they could knock it out fast when the weather warms up some.
“Matt Cholko February 19, 2014 at 9:33 pm
Seems highly unlikely that they’re gonna get over 17k valid, in Montana, by the end of May, if they’ve not made some significant progress by now.
Matt Cholko February 19, 2014 at 9:34 pm
Unless they have a lot of money to throw at the drive.”
Yep.
Unless they have a lot of money to throw at the drive.
Seems highly unlikely that they’re gonna get over 17k valid, in Montana, by the end of May, if they’ve not made some significant progress by now.
Cool story, bro.
Rather obvious that Sam Rankin is angling for Democrats to win, in his effort to split opposition vote. Otherwise, he would fight it out in the primary. The country cannot afford more years of Democratic control.
In winter? I doubt it, although anything’s possible…
I hope they’re well underway.