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VOL. 129 | NO. 180 | Tuesday, September 16, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Four years after the Libertarian Party of Tennessee filed its first lawsuit to get on the ballot, the group is still fighting for access in a state that has some of the most restrictive rules in the country for smaller political parties.

Since 2010, the Libertarians, the Green Party of Tennessee and the Constitution Party of Tennessee have been in near-constant litigation with the state. They have won several victories, and the legislature has changed the law slightly. But the parties say the hurdles for them to get their names on the ballot are still unreasonably high.

A 2010 federal court ruling in one of the cases stated that Tennessee was one of only two states where no third parties had qualified for the ballot over the previous decade.

Individual candidates can appear on Tennessee's ballot simply by submitting a petition with 25 signatures, but they will appear as independents unless their parties have qualified to appear on the ballot as well. For a party to appear on the ballot, it must collect more than 40,000 signatures. If the party wants to stay on the ballot, one of its candidates must garner more than 80,000 votes.

A recent opinion from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in one of the cases says the ease with which an independent candidate can get on Tennessee's ballot undermines the state's argument that too many parties could result in voter confusion.

"It is a puzzling proposition that voters should be less confused by a ballot listing numerous candidates without a party designation than by a similar ballot including party designations." The court goes on to say that a ballot with party designations "at least, contains information helpful to distinguishing among lesser-known candidates."

Donn Janes, vice-chair of the Libertarian Party of Tennessee, said he believes the major parties intentionally make it difficult for minor parties.

"Libertarians would erode some of the voter base for the Republican party," he said. "I can see why they would want to keep us off the ballot."

A state Republican Party spokesman declined to comment. Ken Kollman, a political science professor at the University of Michigan, said it is clear that "a strong Libertarian candidate in any state is going to hurt the Republicans."

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Third Parties Still Fighting for Ballot Access

Robert Sarvis, Libertarian Candidate for Senate, On VA Education #1
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Go here to see the original:
Robert Sarvis, Libertarian Candidate for Senate, On VA Education #1 - Video

AUSTIN PETERSEN IS NOT A LIBERTARIAN!

By: Oliver Stein

Read this article:
AUSTIN PETERSEN IS NOT A LIBERTARIAN! - Video

NASHVILLE Four years after the Libertarian Party of Tennessee filed its first lawsuit to get on the ballot, the group is still fighting for access in a state that has some of the most restrictive rules in the country for smaller political parties.

Since 2010, the Libertarians, the Green Party of Tennessee and the Constitution Party of Tennessee have been in near-constant litigation with the state. They have won several victories, and the legislature has changed the law slightly. But the parties say the hurdles for them to get their names on the ballot are still unreasonably high.

A 2010 federal court ruling in one of the cases stated that Tennessee was one of only two states where no third parties had qualified for the ballot over the previous decade.

Individual candidates can appear on Tennessees ballot simply by submitting a petition with 25 signatures, but they will appear as independents unless their parties have qualified to appear on the ballot as well. For a party to appear on the ballot, it must collect more than 40,000 signatures. If the party wants to stay on the ballot, one of its candidates must garner more than 80,000 votes.

A recent opinion from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in one of the cases says the ease with which an independent candidate can get on Tennessees ballot undermines the states argument that too many parties could result in voter confusion.

It is a puzzling proposition that voters should be less confused by a ballot listing numerous candidates without a party designation than by a similar ballot including party designations. The court goes on to say that a ballot with party designations at least, contains information helpful to distinguishing among lesser-known candidates.

Donn Janes, vice-chair of the Libertarian Party of Tennessee, said he believes the major parties intentionally make it difficult for minor parties.

Libertarians would erode some of the voter base for the Republican party, he said. I can see why they would want to keep us off the ballot.

A state Republican Party spokesman declined to comment. Ken Kollman, a political science professor at the University of Michigan, said it is clear that a strong Libertarian candidate in any state is going to hurt the Republicans.

He said both Republicans and Democrats have traditionally tried to limit the influence of third parties.

Originally posted here:
Third parties still fighting for ballot access in Tennessee

CEDAR RAPIDS | Some people might call it a gimmick, but David Snowden Overby, a self-described old liberal from the 60s, prefers to call his Election Day plan to pay people to vote for him guerrilla theater.

Overby, a Libertarian candidate in Iowa House 57 in Dubuque County, said he and his friends plan to stand outside polling places Nov. 4 to give a penny to anyone who promises to vote for him.

I want to make a point that the election system is corrupt, Overby, a former Charles City newspaper editor, said. If faceless PACs and other organizations can pay millions of dollars to buy elections, I can certainly give voters a penny. At least Im honest.

The U.S. Supreme Court has called campaign contributions free speech, Overby said, and this is taking it to its logical conclusions.

Although political action committees pumping millions of dollars into campaigns is legal, paying people at the polls isnt, according to Dubuque County Auditor Denise Dolan and the Iowa Secretary of State Office.

Overby and his friends could face a variety of charges.

Dolan hasnt discussed the situation with the Dubuque County attorney and said she doesnt plan to monitor polling places to see if Overby shows up.

If hes doing it, Ill hear about it from my poll workers, she said.

Overby believes he has a legal defense if he is charged.

There are laws against campaigning in front of the polling site, but no laws against buying votes, he said. Its a fine point.

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Libertarian to pay penny a vote in campaign fund protest