Bob Barr Only Presidential Candidate in Texas

[chequita guevara]

Apparently both the GOP and the Democrats missed the Aug., 26th filing deadline in Texas. Only the Libertarian candidate, Bob Barr is on the ballot . . . unless Texas breaks the law.

Barr Only Presidential Candidate on Texas Ballot

Republicans, Democrats miss deadline to file presidential candidates in Texas

Bob Barr is slated to be the only presidential candidate on the ballot in Texas after Republicans and Democrats missed the Aug. 26 deadline to file in the state.

"Unless the state of Texas violates its own election laws, Congressman Barr will be the only presidential candidate on the ballot," says Russell Verney, campaign manager for the Barr Campaign and the former campaign manager for Ross Perot. "Texas law makes no exceptions for missing deadlines."

The Texas Secretary of State Web site shows only Bob Barr as the official candidate for president in Texas.

"We know all about deadlines," says Verney. "We are up against them constantly in our fight to get on the ballot across the nation. When we miss deadlines, we get no second chances. This is a great example of how unreasonable deadlines chill democracy."

"Republicans and Democrats make certain that third party candidates are held to ballot access laws, no matter how absurd or unreasonable," says Verney. "Therefore, Republicans and Democrats should be held to the same standards."

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

The Libertarian Party is America's third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.LP.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/barr-only-presidential-candidate-on-texas-ballot

[chequita guevara]

Rules Must Bend to Allow McCain, Obama on Texas Ballot with Barr

Republicans and Democrats clearly miss Texas deadline

Though Texas election law sets an Aug. 26 deadline for political parties to file their candidates for president and vice-president, John McCain and Barack Obama must work around the law to get on the ballot alongside Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr.

"Agents of the GOP are twisting the law to have Bob Barr thrown off the ballot in Pennsylvania," says Russell Verney, campaign manager for Barr and a former campaign manager for Ross Perot, "while the law has to be twisted for them to get on the ballot in Texas. Rules are rules, except when they inconvenience those who make them."

According to Texas Election Code § 192.031 , a political party is allowed to have their candidates on the ballot if "the names of the party's nominees for president and vice-president" are submitted before "5 p.m. of the 70th day before" the presidential election.

Given that neither the Republican Party nor the Democratic Party nominated a candidate before Aug. 26, it would be impossible for either party to file under Texas law.

"Third parties are never given second chances when it comes to getting on the ballot," says Verney. "And third parties are often thrown off the ballot for the most minor infractions of ballot access laws. In Texas, we have a clear deadline that was not met by the Republicans and Democrats, but it is all but certain that some way, some how, the establishment candidates will find a way on the ballot. Some people are just above the law."

A spokesperson for the Texas Secretary of State's Office claims that both parties "filed something" on time, despite the fact that neither party had nominated a candidate by the deadline as required by Texas law.

"We agree that unreasonably early deadlines are absurd," says Verney. "We've run into them in states like Oklahoma, West Virginia and Maine during our fight for ballot access across the nation. But if third parties are required to adhere to the law, then we expect the same for the candidates of any other party. Maybe this will show Republicans and Democrats what it is like to be on the wrong side of ballot access laws."

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

The Libertarian Party is America's third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.LP.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/rules-must-bend-to-allow-mccain-obama-on-texas-ballot-with-barr

[Elok]

WTF? So, assuming this isn't all a vast, ludicrous hoax of some sort, will they fudge their way in or will there be thirty-odd votes (IIRC) gone from the Electoral College?

EDIT: Googling "Texas ballot" (without quotes) doesn't yield any credible source, and CNN doesn't have this. Can you find it somewhere other than the Libs' website or a blog?

[chequita guevara]

I haven't looked for it anywhere else.

[Lorizael]

Cool. So I guess Obama just won the election then, right?

[chequita guevara]

Almost certainly the law is going to be bent to allow Obama and McCain on the ticket. I can't imagine any judge siding with the LP on this, even though if the LP had missed the deadline, they just as certainly, would not be allowed on the ballot.

[Lorizael]

Duh.

[Victor Galis]

Although the law is grossly unreasonable, it would be amusing to see Texas throwing away its votes.

I suppose they could also do some sort of massive write-in campaign for both major parties.

[chequita guevara]

The deadline for qualifying as a write in is the same day.

[Elok]

I thought the point of a write-in was that you don't HAVE to qualify?

[Zkribbler]

I'm stunned the major news outlets haven't yet said anything.

I googled "Texas Barr ballot" and found things on Barr's site, on Ron Paul sites, on the Libertarian Party site and on a ton of blogs. But no CNN, no Times, no NBC-ABC-CBS-Fox.

Do they not know? Or don't they know how to spin the story yet?

[Felch]

Registered write-ins probably get their names posted at polling places, but not listed on ballots.

[snoopy369]

Maybe the law isn't entirely as direct as they are claiming it is?

[Felch]

Ah, but it was not to be. Texas Secretary of State spokesperson Ashley Burton said that upon further checking, "Both parties filed before the deadline. We expect their amended filings after both parties finish their nominating process at the conventions." Texas law, changed in 2005, requires that the parties submit their candidates names 70 days before the election. Problem is, neither party has gotten through their nominating process. The Texas Republican Party listed John McCain and "running mate" as their candidates, with an amended certification after the GOP convention in St. Paul. Obama and Biden will be certified after the Democratic Convention.

http://startelegram.typepad.com/politex/2008/08/on-the-texas-ba.html

There's the spin for you.

[Ben Kenobi]

The conventions aren't unreasonably late.

I'm not sure why there is a conflict arising right now.