Nader Begins Petitioning In New Mexico

The Nader campaign has launched its first petition drive. It is in New Mexico, and will attempt to qualify the Independent Party for the ballot. The petition needs 2,794 valid signatures by April 1.

That New Mexico deadline for new parties is supremely irrational. New parties in New Mexico do not nominate by primary. Therefore, there is no reason why the deadline should be so early. That new party deadline had been in July, until 1995, when the New Mexico legislature moved it to April. The motivation was that the Democratic majority was unhappy that the Green Party gubernatorial candidate in 1994 had polled over 10% of the vote, and was perceived to be responsible for the election of Republican gubernatorial nominee Gary Johnson.