TX Gov: Strayhorn falls second to Kinky in ballot collection

[jimrtex]

http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/2006/06/its_official.html

Press Release from the Texas Secretary of State

Steve Stockman failed to get enough signatures to run for Congress in Tom DeLay's district, and the Green Party failed to submit enough signatures to gain ballot access as a political party.

The Democrat candidate for Governor, Tony Sanchez, who spent beaucoup
bucks in losing, has endorsed Strayhorn.

[jimrtex]

For Congress, the signature requirement is only 500 vs. the 45,000+ for statewide office.  Stockman was reported to have filed petitions, so I wonder what happened.  Maybe some people who voted in the Democratic or Republican primary signed.

Probably. I mean, he seemed to have a real following going on over there...500 shouldn't have been anything. My best guess is that he stopped collecting too soon.

In a news articles, he is said to have been caught by surprise.  He turned in about 600, but fewer than 500 qualified.

[jimrtex]

I do agree that committed volunteers are much more important than simple cash in signature collection (look at the success of the Libertarian party in getting on the ballot in Texas for many years).  I question whether it is more important in the general election, though.

To maintain ballot access, a party has to have a candidate get 5% of the vote in a statewide race.  The Democratic Party typically doesn't field candidates for all of the seats on the Supreme Court or the Court of Criminal Appeals, and a Libertarian candidate will get 15-18% of the vote when running against an otherwise unopposed Republican.

In 2000, the only year the Green Party qualifed, their candidates received 7-9% of the vote in the judgeship races.

In 2002, the Democrats ran candidates for all the court seats, and both minor parties lost ballot access.   The Libertarian Party, repetioned for access in 2004 and maintained it in that election.

In 2006, the Democrats only have candidates for 2 of 8 open court seats.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

They qualified in 2000 as part of the effort to nominate Ralph Nader.