‘Sore loser’ law may affect Constitution Party before it’s on ballot | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: The author of this post is Dan Way, who is an associate editor for the Carolina Journal, John Hood Publisher.

Leaders of state's likely fifth political party say they're not seeking 'revenge' candidates


    The Constitution Party isn't expected to become the state's fifth political party until Wednesday, June 6. But it already faces a threat to potential candidates.

    The Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement is scheduled to vote at 2 p.m. Wednesday on a petition to certify the Constitution Party for ballot access. If approved, the party would join Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, and Green parties on the ballot.

    The House passed Senate Bill 486 Monday night by a 66-44 margin. The omnibus election bill - which goes to the Senate for concurrence - would bar losers in primary elections from running on another party's ticket in the fall general election.

    "That's something that we're fighting right now," said Kevin Hayes, Constitution Party vice chairman. Nothing in current law prevents a defeated primary candidate from ticket hopping between political parties in the same election year. The law does disallow a primary loser from running as a write-in candidate in the general election during the same election cycle.

    Hayes said the "sore loser" provision was inserted into the bill by state Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, House Elections and Ethics Law Committee chairman.

    The move was triggered, he thinks, by reports Rep. Beverly Boswell, R-Dare, may file to run on the Constitution Party ballot. Boswell lost her May 8 GOP primary to Currituck County Commission Chairman Bobby Hanig. Greg Holt, who lost a Republican primary for the Craven County Board of Commissioners, has solicited the Constitution Party for an endorsement to run in the fall.

    "They feel that we're a threat to the Republican Party," Hayes said.

    Republicans enthusiastically embraced the Green Party's qualifying for ballot access in March. The Green Party is considered likely to draw away some candidates from the Democrats.

    "We're not actively pursuing people, but people that have lost primaries, if they want to seek our nomination we're not blocking it," Hayes said. "We think a candidate should have the right to affiliate with whoever they see fit."

    That doesn't mean extending carte blanche to defeated candidates.

    "We don't want to run candidates who are simply running for revenge," Hayes said. "We want to make sure people are running because they feel that's what best for their district."

    To gain ballot access, a party needs 11,925 petition signatures. According to the Constitution Party website, 16,286 signatures were collected, and 12,636 were determined to be valid. Officials turned in their petition to the Elections Board on May 30.

    "We anticipate they're going to certify us," Hayes said. "Everything's in order so we don't anticipate there will be any issues."

    Hayes, who has worked on ballot access issues for years, said party officials are excited about being added to the general election ballot.

    Under North Carolina law, a new political party must hold a nomination convention the first time it qualifies. The Constitution Party will convene in Charlotte on June 16.

    Candidates have a June 12 deadline to submit their requests and a questionnaire for party endorsement. A subcommittee of party executive committee members will vet the paperwork, and make recommendations to the full committee.

    "We have a lot of people who are interested in running. We've had a few people already submit paperwork to us," Hayes said. "We'll field some candidates across the state," in county commission and sheriff races, state House and Senate contests, and for congressional seats.
Go Back


Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published)
Enter Your Comment ( no code or urls allowed, text only please )




President Donald J. Trump Signs H.R. 3562, H.R. 4009, and S. 1285 into Law Statewide, Government, State and Federal Slimmed-Down Judicial Reform Bill Moves Through Senate Committee


HbAD0

Latest State and Federal

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said this week that the only campaign promise President Joe Biden has delivered on as president is the complete dismantling of the U.S. southern border.
Hamas is reeling after losing two of their most cherished leaders on the same day: military commander Saleh al-Arouri, and Harvard President Claudine Gay.
President Joe Biden’s brother told the Internal Revenue Service that Hunter Biden told him he was in business with a “protege of President Xi,” referring to the leader of China, according to notes by an IRS investigator that were divulged during a congressional interview of Jim Biden.
That’s the question Marguerite Roza of Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab sought to answer in a recent webinar on the topic.
The University of Florida has fired all of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) employees and shut down its DEI office.
Glenn Beck: 'When the United States government can come after individuals, that's when you know our republic is crumbling.'

HbAD1

Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) reportedly blasted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for “stonewalling” details about the illegal immigrant accused of murdering Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia college student.
“The Biden administration's plan in the Middle East is to hand over power to the Palestinian Authority, which literally pays the families of terrorists who murder Jews.”
Two Democratic members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation are ranked among the most likely to be picked off in 2024, according to a new analysis from Roll Call.
Former President Donald Trump dominated the North Dakota Republican Caucus on Monday as he continues to inch closer to officially securing the party’s presidential nomination.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a Community Partner Engagement Plan to ensure the voices of North Carolina communities and families continue to be at the center of the department’s work.

HbAD2

The Pentagon official helped lead an organization that pushed 'transgender day of visibility' in the military

HbAD3

 
Back to Top