Libertarians try to block Romney from Wash. ballot
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Libertarian Party has filed a lawsuit to block Mitt Romney from the November ballot in Washington state, arguing that the GOP no longer qualifies as a major political party, officials said Thursday.
The filing in Thurston County contends that Republicans do not get an automatic slot on the ballot because state law defines major parties as those that receive 5 percent of the vote in a statewide race during a November general election in even years. Republican Dino Rossi did get 48 percent of the vote in the U.S. Senate race two years ago but wasn't officially nominated by the party at its convention, and Washington's top-two primary system is not considered a nominating process.
State election officials, led by Republican Sam Reed, said that law was essentially repealed by a voter-approved initiative in 2004 that scrapped the party primaries in favor of the top-two system. Since then, the state has adopted an administrative code allowing parties to qualify as major political parties if their presidential tickets get more than 5 percent of the vote in the last White House vote.
Looking at the results of the last presidential election in 2008, the state believes both Republicans and Democrats automatically qualify to have their candidates on the November ballot.
John Mills, an attorney handling the case for the Libertarian Party, said the statutes cannot be repealed or changed by an agency — only the Legislature.
"As a legal matter, that's kind of a frivolous argument," Mills said. The Legislature hasn't repealed the old laws, and an effort to make those changes a few years ago failed.
State GOP chairman Kirby Wilbur called the lawsuit a "silly matter."
"Dino Rossi was nominated by this party in August 2010," he said, noting that at a state board meeting after the 2010 state Republican convention and primary, Rossi was officially endorsed by the party.
"We have legal documents that show that" and Republicans will seek to have the case dismissed, Wilbur said. Mills said he doesn't think that a party board meeting complies with Republican party rules for nominating candidates.
Minor parties, such as the Libertarians, can get on Washington's ballot by holding a nominating convention within the state and collecting at least 1,000 qualifying signatures, but that deadline has passed.
The lawsuit asserts that the GOP ticket can now only run a write-in campaign in Washington.
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Associated Press writer Rachel La Corte contributed to this report.
The filing in Thurston County contends that Republicans do not get an automatic slot on the ballot because state law defines major parties as those that receive 5 percent of the vote in a statewide race during a November general election in even years. Republican Dino Rossi did get 48 percent of the vote in the U.S. Senate race two years ago but wasn't officially nominated by the party at its convention, and Washington's top-two primary system is not considered a nominating process.
State election officials, led by Republican Sam Reed, said that law was essentially repealed by a voter-approved initiative in 2004 that scrapped the party primaries in favor of the top-two system. Since then, the state has adopted an administrative code allowing parties to qualify as major political parties if their presidential tickets get more than 5 percent of the vote in the last White House vote.
Looking at the results of the last presidential election in 2008, the state believes both Republicans and Democrats automatically qualify to have their candidates on the November ballot.
John Mills, an attorney handling the case for the Libertarian Party, said the statutes cannot be repealed or changed by an agency — only the Legislature.
"As a legal matter, that's kind of a frivolous argument," Mills said. The Legislature hasn't repealed the old laws, and an effort to make those changes a few years ago failed.
State GOP chairman Kirby Wilbur called the lawsuit a "silly matter."
"Dino Rossi was nominated by this party in August 2010," he said, noting that at a state board meeting after the 2010 state Republican convention and primary, Rossi was officially endorsed by the party.
"We have legal documents that show that" and Republicans will seek to have the case dismissed, Wilbur said. Mills said he doesn't think that a party board meeting complies with Republican party rules for nominating candidates.
Minor parties, such as the Libertarians, can get on Washington's ballot by holding a nominating convention within the state and collecting at least 1,000 qualifying signatures, but that deadline has passed.
The lawsuit asserts that the GOP ticket can now only run a write-in campaign in Washington.
___
Associated Press writer Rachel La Corte contributed to this report.
The whole two-party system is ridiculous. For the most important post in this country(President), there should be allowed at least ten different candidates on the ballot. I will still write-in Ron Paul's name...
Libertarians need to get over it. The win or loose on their own merit. They know Ryan adds a new dimension to the Rep party. There are many things I disagree with the Rep party about. However, these laws are ridiculous anyway. Get over it!
 @KatieSzuhar You're right!  Paul Ryan does add a new dimension to the republican party; a liberal one!  He voted for TARP bailouts, auto bailouts, no child left behind, medicare prescription drug benefit, Bush stimulus, patriot act... wait a minute... didn't 90% of republicans vote in favor of this stuff the past decade?This isn't about bitterness for losing an election.  Ron Paul delegates were won in 5 states by following the rules, and now the RNC is trying to tell us they won't seat them.  They're BREAKING laws and rules to have their way, so we're going to do everything we can to make their lives miserable if only by following the rules, until they decide to quit their assault on our movement and finally start to act like conservatives again.Â
Even if the Libertarian Party is right about the law, the State won't follow it.  Christine is above the law.
Blah ... blah blah blah ... blah ... blah blah blah ... and so on it goes. Really?
What happened to staying the course to get leaders who will really turn this country around? HUH???
Politics politics politics is what this election is all about. No matter WHOSE SIDE you are on!!
Hate this.
Shysters and swindlers... two of a kind. Personally can't stomach the GOP, but these Libertarians are starting to make Republicans look like saints!
Just doesn't matter any more. The corruption is just too deep. The presidential election candidates are expected to spend 1 billion a piece on this election. That pretty much says it all right there. Its time for my baby boomer generation to stand aside and allow the Generation X to decide what kind of country they want. Makes no real difference which style of government they decide on as long as they draft a document like the Bill of Rights. Maybe write a better one that better protects civil liberties. We see that voting changes nothing when the political process is corrupt to the core. With a little bit of our help maybe the next generation can make a more safer landing. The way things are going now it looks like it going to be a very bumpy ride for the next 2 decades.
 @Blindman Never stand aside. That's a cop out. We need to support and nurture the next generation so that they can make RATIONAL decisions. We have the wisdom and should have the knowledge to get the free market ideas out there and help them find a MORAL purpose to support capitalism. If we don't, they will wind up under the wing of the leftist movement and send this country the way of Greece and the rest of Europe. They'll see its downfall. America is too important to let it go. Read Ayn Rand and learn to apply her philosophy of rational self-interest. It's the only way out of this financial disaster looming over us right now. And they know something has to change. Our irrationality and inability to make the tough decisions has dropped the ticking financial time bomb into their laps. And now, we throw up our hands and cry, "I didn't mean to do this to you!" What a disgrace to our children.
 @Blindman Been reading some of your posts, and I must compliment you on your nom de plume.
@JLS1950 @Blindman Very good!
@Blindman Sounds like you need a pill to chill. The people in this country vote for whom they want then look beyond who they voted for. I'm talking senators and reps. We complain that nothing is getting done but it's not our rep it's the others, so we vote ours back and this happens all accross the country. Ergo, we have the same bunch doing nothing.
We need term limits on congress and 6 years for the president. We need to get rid of this new law that gives anyoune the right to give as much as they want, that anyone has way more money than you and me. Citizens United has to go or rename it Billionaires United. Stop lobbying or limit it. Get the money out of DC. Also, and this is important; separation of church and state must be the law of the land. You cannot legislate morality. That is a freedom to be who you are.
I'm going to repost what I just wrote in The Stranger's Slog article (posted by Goldy) on this:
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The Libertarian Party and Goldy are both incorrect on two counts. Based on Initiative 872, formal party nominations are irrelevant. The primary vote that sent Murray and Rossi to the general election is what counted. Why do you think the parties opposed the initiative? If you finish the primary in first or second place, you are your declared party's nominee even if they hate you.
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Secondly, and more importantly, the WAC is also law as much as the RCW. WAC 434-208-130 was effective 1/6/12 thereby updating the definition in RCW 29A.04.086 and limiting the political offices to President and Vice President (which is why the even-year requirement is no longer relevant). If x = y and then x = z, x = z. I know, logic, much like math, is hard.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=434-208-130
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I would ask why Goldy still has a job at The Stranger, but then I remember that it's The Stranger.
 @Pahana Don't you mean "If x = y and x = z, then y = z"?
Sounds Like Ron paul idiots at work because the got their panties in bunch.
Do we need anymore proof of how democratic and bleeding heart liberal this state is? Well, this side of the state anyway. If I were to block Romney, it sure as hell wouldn't be because of the party.
Funny. Not a major party.
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Washington will go to the Dems anyway. The greater population is on the west side of the mountains.
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I'll vote for the best candidate regarless of party.
@HonkeyCat Thats the way it should be! Best person for the job. Sadly both parties are corrupt as hell, and our elected officals seem to forget they were elected to represent the American people. Not their damn wallets, not for the party, but for the people!
I lean libertarian, but these kinds of silly lawsuits are an embarassment to the party.
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There's no chance that this state would go to Romney anyway. It's just water under the bridge.
They needn't blame Romney, but our own state government for failing to allow the people to have a real voice in our elections...
Truly the silly season. Maybe the Libertarians should nominate crazy Joe Biden as their presidential candidate.
 @LockesChild That stupid Sarah Palin. Suggesting that Obama dump Biden. Brilliant! Now Egobama can't do it even if it had occurred to him or Valerie!
This is a joke right?
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Libertarians blocking Romney are endorsing obama.
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Really?
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@bobalouie I read this a few times, where does it say they back Obama?
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 @snoopy84  @bobalouie I think bobalouie means it figuratively... throwing mud at Romney only gives the democrats more firepower.
 @GermanAmericanNOTWhiteCaucasian ....as if the Dems, (kool-aid swigging purple NIke wearing spaceship waiting true blue as the sky & sea socialist leaning bordering on communism bleeding heart liberals) need more firepower in this DState.
This is almost as silly as the smear and distract campaign Obama is running.
Ain't going to work. Wish it would though. I would love to be able to actually vote for a conservative. Its just that none are running.
@Blindman But which is the lesser of two evils at this point?Â
Thats no way to vote. Both are tyrants. Both want to curb civil liberties. The system is rigged for a 2 party system and no 3rd party will ever have a chance at the oval office till we do away with the antiquated electoral college process. And even still the big money will be on the 2 parties side. This is now beyond my generations control. Us baby boomers allowed this to happen and Generation X is going to get a shot at it whether anyone wants it or not. No way around it. Its going to be a bumpy decade and probably a bumpy 20 years. We failed our children and grandchildren by not standing up for unalienable rights and now its beyond us. to fix it. @takncarabizniz  @Blindman
 @takncarabizniz  @Blindman if the current leadership team is failing, which team obama is so clearly doing, then put the next team in.
 @Blindman if you think the current losers deserve another four years then by all means toss your vote their way. If you think some new losers deserve a shot at the job then give them a chance. Either way the trend will likely continue and the nation will continue towards fiscal and moral default.