The media better take note.
One small problem with that: as Winger argues, the rules were allegedly drastically changed. In November of this year.
There should be law suits in the works. If this is true Newt and Perry will be on the ballot.
the rules were allegedly drastically changed. In November of this year.Yes, Good point, This Virginia situation is a HUGE mess. There are MANY problems with what the RPV has done. In the case of Osborne v. Boyles, on October 24th independent state delegate candidate Michael Osborne filed suit ... So, YES, the recent change was likely based on that. But in addition to that flaw, Osborne was running for a STATE office, not a Presidential Primary. http://www.varight.com/news/virginia-may-have-improperly-excluded-signatures-from-perry-gingrich-a-recount-may-be-needed/ Virginia law REQUIRES an address on petitions for state offices: § 24.2-506 ...signed by the number of qualified voters specified below after January 1 of the year in which the election is held and listing the residence address of each such voter. Virginia law does NOT require an address on petitions for Presidential Primaries: § 24.2-545 This law regulating primary signatures is clearly separate. § 24.2-545 specifically does NOT require addresses, nor the signatures to be taken after January 1st. B. Any person seeking the nomination of the national political party for the office of President of the United States, or any group organized in this Commonwealth on behalf of, and with the consent of such person, may file with the State Board petitions signed by at least 10,000 qualified voters, including at least 400 qualified voters from each congressional district in the Commonwealth, who attest that they intend to participate in the primary of the same political party as the candidate for whom the petitions are filed. Such petitions shall be filed with the State Board by the primary filing deadline. The petitions shall be on a form prescribed by the State Board and shall be sealed in one or more containers to which is attached a written statement giving the name of the presidential candidate and the number of signatures on the petitions contained in the containers. Such person or group shall also attach a list of the names of persons who would be elected delegates and alternate delegates to the political party’s national convention if the person wins the primary and the party has determined that its delegates will be selected pursuant to the primary. The slate of delegates and alternates shall comply with the rules of the national and state party.It is reasonable for some voters to understand that Virginia law has NEVER required the address on those primary petitions. It is optional, just like the SSN on the presidential petition form is also optional. I believe there is also a recent Virginia court precedent where a petition gatherer was slightly in error on something, and the judge ruled that the voter should not be disenfranchised. The voter's intent to sign the petition outweighed the slight technical difficulty. |