Posted on 10/02/2004 5:17:20 PM PDT by HAL9000
The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled Friday afternoon that independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader can be on the November general election ballot in Arkansas.The state Supreme Court ordered the state to include Nader and vice presidential candidate Peter Miguel Camejo on the ballots as the Populist Party of Arkansas candidates.
The court ruling overturns a circuit court judge who ordered election officials not to print the November second ballots with Nader's name on them. Circuit Judge Timothy Fox, ruling in a lawsuit brought by the state Democratic Party, said the signators who petitioned for Nader to be on the ballot did not declare him as their candidate.
Nader appealed Fox's ruling to the high court. The high court agreed with the Populist Party that Fox's interpretation of state law was unconstitutional.
The high court said state law does not stipulate that an electorate name "their" candidate for president or vice President. The court ruling noted that law only requires that the signer of the petition state their desire that the named candidates appear on the ballot, the court ruling noted.
The ruling said Fox's interpretation of the law quote "leads not only to an absurd result, but also renders the provision unconstitutional" and quote "infringes upon one of the fundamental civil liberties of our democracy, that of the secret ballot."
Nader campaign spokesman Kevin Zeese said he was pleased with the court's decision and that the court respected the right of voters to have choices.
Ron Oliver, chairman of the Democratic Party of Arkansas, said he was disappointed but doubtful that Nader's presence on the ballot would make a difference in the state's presidential election.
Oliver said a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush, but he didn't think enough people were going to do it to have any real affect.
My browser automatically plugged in the wrong date for the article. The article was published October 1, 2004.
Go Nader!
Does anyone know what has happened in Wisconsin? He was on the ballot and then off. The decision was being appealed.
Uh, where does it say ballots to our troops would be delayed?
It's all about the Electoral College anyway, not the popular vote. And, if the talking heads are to be believed, Nader's voters come from both sides, don't always vote (the young) and won't make that much difference even in the "battleground" states. And THOSE are dwindling in number as November 3nd approaches.
Hmmmmm
Nothing the Democrats try surprises me anymore. They will do anything to gain power. I really think they would try to overthrow the government by force if they thought they could get away with it.
Nader should do well in Arkansas. He can relate because his family tree doesn't branch.
I just don't get it. The dimocrats are spending all this money fighting in the courts to keep Nader off the ballots. His teeny tiny weenie 1% hardly makes it worth the trouble. They are just bullies that's all.
Why don't we start a pro-Nader 527?
The polls in Wisconsin between sKerry and GW are still quite close. Nader is getting 6% of the vote. He is currently off of the ballot (I think). That makes a huge difference in Wisconsin. I don't think the people voting for Nader are going to hop on the Bush band wagon!
See the previously posted articles about this lawsuit for that info.
That old windbag is SUCH an enormous waste of time. I didn't think ANYONE with an I.Q. of over 85 listened to him anymore.
Oh well, perhaps in Wisconsin there is a fondess for stinky old cheese.
Congressman Billybob
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That's good news for the Naderman. I wish Democrats would stop whining about Nader joining this election. I don't recall having ever heard of a Republican bitching about Peroutka's or Badnarik's candidacy.
Cool- thanks for the update. I just moved Wisconsin back into the Bush category!
Nader, sKerry, Nader, sKerry.........if you are planning on voting for either one of these guys, something is really wrong with you. I'd much rather have them vote for Nader, who doesn't stand a chance, than sKerry. It's the "Power of Cheese!"
Back on the ballot as of 30September court ruling. See votenader.org
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