Libertarians To Testify in Ohio House: Modernize Ohio's Election Laws

[AtLiberty]

Libertarians To Testify in Ohio House: Modernize Ohio's Election Laws

by Robert Butler
March 3, 2005
The Free Press

"The Libertarian Party is on the ballot in Russia, Afganistan, and Iraq, but not in Ohio," notes LPO Executive Director Robert Butler. "We had a veteran and a hero from the current war in Iraq who wanted to run as a Libertarian last year, but I had to explain to him why that wasn't possible."

The Libertarian Party of Ohio is asking the Ohio House of Representatives to modernize the state's ballot access laws.

Robert Butler, 31, Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Ohio will testify on Wednesday March 2nd before the Ohio House Election and Ethics Committee.

"Our state's current ballot access laws were created during the Red Scare of the early 20th century," adds State Chair Jason Hallmark, "They do not reflect the ideals of open democracy, the foundation of our great country."

"We are only asking that Ohio modernize its laws, just as all of our neighboring states have recently done," explains Butler, "Ohio has been ranked 49th by OSU Political Science Professor Paul Allen Beck for its restrictive regulation of political parties. We want that to change."

The Libertarian Party is asking for five specific changes to Ohio's election laws: allow independents to work in Ohio's polling places, reduce and standardize the number of petition signatures, extend the period of recognition for minor parties from two to four years, lower the needed 5% percent in the Presidential and Gubnatorial races to 2% of any statewide race, and allow minor parties to nominate candidates by convention. These proposed changes are taken from similar laws in Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...

For full article:

http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1180