Getting on the Ballot

To get elected, one must first get on the ballot. I’m thinking about this because last night was the Endorsement Convention for the county in which I live.

While the requirements differ from state to state, in general, potential candidates need to collect a certain number of signatures on a nominating petition, have them validated, and pay a minimal fee. As an aside, in Florida, to qualify to be a candidate for the US Senate, you can either pay the exorbitant fee of $10,440.00 or collect signatures equal to 1% of the total registered voters. (Slightly over 140,000 in 2025.) I bring it up because Florida is such an outlier. Source.

With the exception of presidential candidates¹, and to a lesser extent US Senate candidates, most people have no idea who is running on the primary ballot. I assume that YOU know who is on your ballot, because if you’re reading my blog, you’re an informed voter². But most voters cannot even list out who their elected officials are: from their local Judge of Elections, Committee People/Precinct Captains, through their town/city officials, to county officials, state reps and senators, but hopefully they would know their Congressman/woman, Senators and the President and Vice President.

In a lot of places, the political parties endorse candidates ahead of the primary, and when voters come to the polls, they are provided a sample ballot, with the names of the endorsed candidates bolded. In many places, potential candidates agree ahead of time to NOT run in the primary if they are not selected during the endorsement process. Often, the endorsed candidates win the primary³.

In some places, there are “jungle primaries” where anyone can run, parties are not necessarily disclosed on the ballots, and the top two finalists continue on to the general election. The original idea was that if anyone could run, then winning candidates would come from “the middle” and candidate choice would be more fair and less polarized. This system is also used in some special elections, like the 2003 California gubernatorial election, where there were 135 candidates. The list.

There are also “ranked choice” primaries, where voters “rank” their choices, the lowest vote-getter is dropped, the votes are reallocated, and on, until a final winner is selected.

This is the system they use in New York City for, amoung other offices, Mayor. You are all familiar with Eric Adams, the current Democratic mayor, potential Republican candidate, minion to the Convicted Felon, and under an indictment that DOJ is trying to drop⁴ so that Eric can do the scut work related to deporting undocumented immigrants. You know about the DOJ resignations, the potential for state charges, and that Eric is a really bad guy. He’s also a liar. In one of those things you really don’t have to lie about, he always contended that he was a vegan. Right up until the photos that showed him eating fish. Not making this up. I do not understand why someone would lie about being a vegan, but I digress.

Four of Eric’s Deputy Mayors resigned, and now City Council is looking at ousting him. In addition, Governor Hochul has the ability to remove him. I hope they think things through, and suspend him instead of removing him, until the 24th of March.

Does he need to go? Absolutely. But not just yet. If he stays in office (even under suspension) until the 24th, then his position will be temporarily filled by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who will hold that position until the November election. If he is ousted PRIOR to that date, then a special election needs to be called, and instead of a partisan ranked-choice primary, it would be open to anyone. And that outcome could be very, very, bad because anyone could get on the ballot.

ANYWAY

There are elections throughout most of the country this year for school boards, town/city/county offices, and statewide offices in Virginia and New Jersey.

I hope you will participate by signing petitions, voting in primaries, donating time and money to candidates, and finally, not only voting in November, but bringing everyone you know to vote in November. When we vote, we win.

1. Factually, presidential candidates don’t actually run in primaries, their chosen slate of electors runs, and if the slate wins, they go to the convention and vote for their candidate.

2. In many places, you may not know YET, but in prior years, you knew. I believe in you!

3. This is not true for presidential races; the parties normally don’t formally endorse. It may or may not hold for Senate races - but normally the vast majority of “lower” races have party endorsements.

4. The hearing in front of Judge Ho is at 2 pm this afternoon, and his order indicates he may be open to denying the DOJ request.