Why you should care
The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition in seeking more choices for all of us on Election Day. Current Pennsylvania law makes it difficult for independent and minor party candidates to appear on the ballot — much more difficult than in most other states. The result is less political competition, less political dialog, and fewer choices to vote for in November. The current system is simply not fair and does a great disservice to the ideal of democracy and to the voters. What you can do about it.
The trainwreck of 2006
In 2006, independent and minor party candidates were required to collect over 67,000 valid signatures simply to get on the state-wide ballot in Pennsylvania on Election Day. Legally, Democratic and Republican candidates require no signatures to get on the state-wide ballot, and even the 2,000 signatures required for the Primary Day ballot are ridiculously smaller than the virtually impossible hurdle of 67,000.
The solution
Pennsylvania law needs to be changed by the State Legislature to lower the outrageous signature requirements. The Coalition has drafted a Voters' Choice Act and is seeking sponsorship of it in the General Assembly.
Voters' Choice Act timeline: news, press releases, events
| Nov 6, 2006 | Release | List of 2006 candidates supporting more choices for voters |
| Oct 31, 2006 | Open letter | Third party write-in candidates will sue to have their votes counted |
| Aug 1, 2006 | Event | 'New choices for Pennsylvania' rally |
| Jul 10, 2006 | Event | Ballot access lawsuit hearing and rally |
| Apr 5, 2006 | PBAC position | Ballot access lawsuit decision flawed |
| Apr 5, 2006 | Article | Judge upholds third-party ballot access rules |
| Jan 12, 2006 | Article | Third parties protest ballot signature requirement (The Intelligencer, Bucks County Courier Times) |
| Jan 11, 2006 | Event | PA State Government Committee presentation on Voters' Choice Act |
| Nov 17, 2005 | Event | PA State Government Committee to consider Voters' Choice Act - postponed |
| Oct 31, 2005 | Event | VCA survey faxed to legislators |
| Oct 31, 2005 | Article | Ballots & access: Party crashers (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) |
| Oct 30, 2005 | Article | Election code creates uphill race for third-party candidates (York Daily Record) |
| Oct 19, 2005 | Article | State ballot rules far too restrictive (Scranton Times-Tribune) |
| Oct 19, 2005 | Article | Third-party ballot rules too strict (The Sentinel) |
| Oct 19, 2005 | Event | Voters' Choice Act hand-delivered to legislators' offices |
| Oct 18, 2005 | Article | Pennsy shouldn't make third-party runs so tough (Hagerstown Herald-Mail) |
| Oct 17, 2005 | Press release | Third Parties Plan Massive "Voters' Choice Act" Distribution In Harrisburg |
| Sep 29, 2005 | Press release | "VOTERS CHOICE ACT" RALLY HELD IN HARRISBURG |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Event | Voters' Choice Act announced in Harrisburg |
| May 15, 2005 | Event | Governor's Election Reform Task Force recommends ballot access reform |
| Apr 22, 2005 | Event | Final vote of the Election Reform Task Force |
| Apr 14, 2005 | Event | PBAC makes presentation before Governor's Election Reform Task Force |
| Apr, 2005 | Event | PBAC sends letter to Governor's Election Reform Task Force |
| Jan, 2005 | Event | PBAC started by Robert Small in Swarthmore, PA |
Site last updated » March 4, 2008 «