[EL] 7 parties now ballot-qualified in Ohio

[Richard Winger]

On November 1, the Ohio Secretary of State issued a directive saying the Americans Elect, Constitution, Green, Libertarian and Socialist Parties are ballot-qualified for 2012.  The existing ballot access law was declared unconstitutional in 2006 by the 6th circuit and the legislature still hasn't replaced it, so the parties got on without complying with any statutory petition requirement.
 
Ohio is one of the few states that says all ballot-qualified parties must have their own primary (although only parties that polled 20% in the last election get a presidential primary), so this will be a lot of work for election officials.  I have been trying for decades to persuade Ohio that it is wasteful and foolish to give each ballot-qualified party its own primary.  Small parties do better nominating by convention.

Richard Winger
415-922-9779
PO Box 470296, San Francisco Ca 94147
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