I haven't seen a challenge to alphabetical listings, though there could
have been some. FYI, Florida gives ballot order priority by statute to
the party who won the last Governor's race, Republican the last two,
then lists the other major parties (a defined term in the statute), then
lists others in the (chronological ) order in which they qualify for the
ballot, whether by convention or primary. Unlike Georgia, which went
all-DRE, Florida only uses DRE touchscreen systems in a minority of
counties (although representing the majority of voters); the others use
optical scan ballots which could not be scrambled at will as they are
printed in advance.
Cliff

Clifford A. Jones, J.D., M.Phil., Ph.D.
University of Florida Levin College of Law
Center for Governmental Responsibility
Spessard L. Holland Law Center
230 Bruton-Geer Hall
P.O. Box 117629
Gainesville, FL 32611-7629
Tel. (352) 273-0845 (Direct)
Tel. (352) 273-0835 (Main)
Fax  (352) 392-1457
Email:  jonesca@law.ufl.edu

Home:
2230 N.W. 24th Avenue
Gainesville, FL  32605
Tel. (352) 367-9992
Fax  (352) 367-9456

Roy Schotland <schotlan@law.georgetown.edu> 6/26/2006 4:28:52 PM

Question, on behalf of a Georgian who hopes for a change from their
ballots' strict alphabetic-order listing--  Do you know of any
experience, or views, that may be helpful to her point:
    "Now that we vote entirely on computer touch-screens, I see no
reason why each ballot couldn't have a different order."
    I have no info about Georgia's general experience with their
alphabetic listing, but do know (from earlier exchanges with other
Georgians) that of their 19 appellate judges, elected statewide, the
four who first went on the bench by election as opposed to by
appointment are named Andrews, Barnes, Bernes, and Blackburn.

--
Roy A. Schotland
Professor
Georgetown U. Law Ctr.
600 New Jersey Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
phone 202/662-9098
fax        662-9680 or -9444