All articles tagged with #ballot access
DSA co-chair Megan Romer outlines a sweeping long‑term agenda including abolishing the Senate, national borders, ICE, and prisons, and replacing Congress with a unicameral system while pursuing broad public ownership; she also defends running DSA-backed candidates on the Democratic ballot line amid criticism of third‑party ballot access, arguing voter support for their candidates remains strong.
Libertarian Marco Battaglia, vying for Iowa’s 3rd District, says Rep. Zach Nunn privately pressed him to quit and that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. participated in a follow‑up call; Battaglia was later removed from the ballot for using a non‑legal name and plans to appeal. Nunn’s camp denies any inducement, while Kennedy has stepped up involvement in battleground races, potentially affecting a close contest Democrats are targeting.
Alaska election officials ruled that a candidate calling himself Dan J. Sullivan filed to run against incumbent Dan S. Sullivan for the U.S. Senate not in good faith and to confuse voters, citing factors like nickname usage, a recent party switch, a campaign site resembling the incumbent’s, and ties to a Democratic supporter. The decision removes the second Dan Sullivan from the ballot, though he can appeal in court; the race remains on track for an August nonpartisan primary and ranked-choice general election, where Peltola is expected to face the incumbent.
A challenger to Alaska's U.S. Senate race who shares the same name as incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan has been ruled ineligible for the ballot, prompting protests and questions about ballot-access rules.
Alaska’s Division of Elections signaled it may disqualify challenger Dan Sullivan from the August primary due to a name-and-party clash with incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, giving him a deadline to submit more information after finding the preponderance of evidence did not support eligibility. The challenger says he had no coordination with the Peltola campaign and denies wrongdoing, while Lt. Gov. Dahlstrom has opened an investigation into his candidacy, raising questions about ballot access and voter confusion in a high-profile Senate race.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows removed the conservative referendum to ban transgender girls from female scholastic sports from the 2026 ballot after ruling more than 12,000 signatures invalid, leaving the measure roughly 500 short of the threshold; proponents can try again for 2027 with about 500 additional signatures. Circulator fraud and misconduct surfaced during court hearings, including unattended petition forms and forged signatures. Bellows said the decision was based on facts and staff briefs, not politics, and noted the measure would have barred transgender girls from private spaces as well. The referendum was largely funded by Republican donor Richard Uihlein; a 2025 poll showed 64% of Mainers opposed transgender female athletes competing in women’s sports, and the measure could still face appeals in court.
A California politics column argues that Eric Swalwell’s sexual misconduct allegations highlighted a key flaw in the state’s top-two primary: if a candidate wins the primary, there’s no mechanism to remove them from the November ballot, which could force voters to choose between an alleged sexual predator and a Trump-aligned Republican. The piece calls for reforms such as allowing write-in candidates in general elections, automatically elevating the third-place finisher if a winner withdraws, or returning to party-nominating primaries, and suggests that modernized ballot tools could enable supplemental ballots. It credits the timely public disclosure in April with preventing a Democratic disaster and critiques the primary system’s failure to produce centrist governance, advocating structural changes to avoid similar dilemmas in the future.
Elon Musk is considering supporting third-party candidates to influence elections, which could impact battleground districts and benefit Democrats, though success depends on candidate selection and district specifics.
Elon Musk is considering forming a new centrist political party called the America Party to compete in key congressional races, aiming to attract moderate voters, but faces significant challenges due to strict ballot access laws and the likelihood of serving as a spoiler rather than a winning contender.
Elon Musk announced plans to create the 'America Party' to represent centrist voters, but face significant hurdles such as ballot access laws, federal regulations, and the challenge of building a viable political brand. He could pursue options like forming a super PAC or collaborating with existing third parties to influence elections without the need for official party certification.
Elon Musk's attempt to create a new political party faces significant hurdles including complex ballot access laws, legal challenges, building infrastructure, and recruiting candidates, making the endeavor difficult despite his financial resources and strategic focus on select elections.
Elon Musk is exploring the creation of a new political party, the America Party, aiming to disrupt the U.S. political duopoly and challenge incumbents in the 2026 midterms, with potential support from groups like Andrew Yang's Forward Party and the Libertarian Party, though significant challenges remain in organizing and ballot access.
Ohio Republicans are facing criticism for attempting to make it harder for citizens to access the ballot, particularly concerning redistricting and minimum wage issues. The GOP's proposed bills aim to increase oversight on campaign donations and restrict grassroots movements, which opponents argue is a tactic to silence voter voices. This follows a series of failed GOP ballot initiatives and ongoing debates over President Biden's ballot access in Ohio.
Democrats have announced a plan to virtually nominate President Joe Biden ahead of their national convention to ensure he appears on Ohio's general election ballot, despite Republican opposition and state ballot access laws. The move comes after Ohio's Republican elections chief warned that the convention's dates conflicted with state requirements. Democrats aim to prevent Republicans from undermining the election process and ensure Ohioans can vote for their preferred presidential candidate.
President Biden is receiving support from Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine to ensure his name appears on the state's election ballot. DeWine has called a special General Assembly session to address the issue, as Ohio's current law requires presidential candidates to be certified 90 days before the election, but the Democratic National Convention is scheduled only 75 days prior. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has warned that Biden is at risk of missing the deadline, and DeWine has criticized his party for not taking action to resolve the situation.