Libertarians on the Ballot in TX, Greens Off (and Nader)
By Byron LaMasters
Good news, here. Disgruntled Republicans will have a real choice here in Texas, but there's not enough disgruntled liberals out there for Nader or the Greens to get on the ballot. My father (a disgruntled Republican) ought to be happy. The Houston Chronicle:
Texas Libertarian Party officials said they gathered enough petition signatures by Monday's deadline to earn a spot on this year's ballot, but other alternative parties said they came up short.
Libertarians presented about 75,000 signatures Monday to the Secretary of State's office in Austin. Election officials must validate 45,540 signatures for the Libertarians to make the November ballot. The signatures must be from registered voters who did not vote in this year's Democratic or Republican primaries.
The Naderities turned in their signatures, too, but they were due two weeks ago:
Also Monday, supporters of Nader -- running this year as an independent -- turned in 80,107 signatures even though they were due two weeks ago. Nader fell about 10,000 short of the 64,076 signatures he needed to win a place on the ballot.
Nader spokesman Kevin Zeese said the campaign turned in the petitions as part of its court challenge to the state ballot access law, which sets stricter requirements for independents than political parties.
Jennifer Waisath, spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office, said the state will keep the Nader petitions until told otherwise by the courts.
Anyway, make sure to let your disgruntled Republican friends in Texas that they'll have a choice this year.
Posted by Byron LaMasters at May 25, 2004 02:12 AM
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Hell, as a disgruntled Democrat who doesn't like John Kerry that much (though I desperately want him to be president) I might vote Libertarian. The real reason for this would be because a vote for Kerry is meaningless in Texas but a Libertarian vote would help their statewide total and ensure ballot access for 2006- when the real votes come down. Of course, I'll probably vote for Kerry just because I want to make sure he has a mandate and I think he'd do a better job than Badnarik/Nolan/Russo, but I've kicked a LP vote around...
Heck, If I lived in Texas, where my presidential vote did not count, I might write in Howard Dean.
I live in Maryland now, and depending on the polls I might do it there too.
FWIW, I've donated to Kerry, and I finally sold my last Bush-Liar T-shirt, (http://www.pobox.com/~msaroff/liar) and that's going to Richard Morrison.
If I can get 20 orders, I'll run another set and donate the proceeds to someone.
