Alaska State Legislature

News From The House Majority

Ken Freeman, Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Measure Makes it Easier to Form a Political Party

For Immediate Release: April 22, 1997 Contact: Rep. Al Vezey (907) 465-3719

JUNEAU - Expanding the definition of a political party to make it easier for a political party to qualify under Alaska Statutes is the intent of legislation passed by the Alaska State Senate Tuesday. HB 112 will be under reconsideration vote and final passage on Wednesday.

Currently a party must run a candidate in the gubernatorial election and that candidate must receive 3 percent of the total votes cast for governor to qualify as a political party. If a party does not run a candidate for governor, they loose their legal status as a party.

Representative Al Vezey (R-North Pole), sponsor of HB 112, said this measure would add an additional means of qualifying as a political party.

"If a party has voters registered as members of their party equal to 3 percent of the votes cast for governor in the last election, they will be recognized as a political party," said Rep. Vezey.

This would allow a party to maintain its party status without having to run a candidate for governor. Currently this amounts to approximately 6500 registered voters.

Rep. Vezey said that the issue is not ballot access.

"Recognized parties would be able to elect whether or not to run a candidate for governor and anyone who could collect 2500 signatures on a petition could get their name placed on the ballot for governor," said Vezey.

"Alaska has not elected a governor by a majority since 1970. By allowing another means for parties to maintain their status as a party, we might be able to encourage candidates who are not serious about winning from actually running for office," said Vezey.

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