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 to Make it Easier to Form a Political Party Transmitted to Governor

For Immediate Release: April 23, 1997 Contact: Rep. Al Vezey (907) 465-3719

JUNEAU - Legislation expanding the definition of a political party passed the Alaska State Senate Wednesday on a reconsideration vote of 15 to 5 and has been transmitted to the Governor.

Currently under Alaska law, to be recognized as a political party, a political party must nominate a candidate for governor every four years. The candidate must receive at least three percent of the total votes cast for governor in the general election. Once a political party qualifies under the existing definition, the party is required to run a candidate for governor on the general election ballot to continue to be recognized as a political party.

HB 112, sponsored by Representative Al Vezey, allows a party that has registered voters in the state equal in number to at least three percent of the votes cast for governor at the preceding general election to be recognized as a political party without being required to run a candidate for governor every four years.

"This change in Alaska law will hopefully bring order to the chaos in the electoral process," said Vezey. "Alaska has not elected a governor by a majority since 1970."

Vezey said critics of the legislation say it is restricting ballot access for smaller political parties such as the Green Party and say the legislation is unconstitutional. In a House Finance Committee hearing, Jim Baldwin, Assistant Attorney General, said the State must have a compelling governmental interest to place limitations on political recognition.

"The critics complaints are not substantiated. This legislation makes it easier to be a political party, not harder," said Vezey.

Richard Winger, the nation's leading expert on ballot access legal issues and editor of Ballot Access News, wrote in a March 13th letter, "... I doubt a court would hold the proposal unconstitutional."

Winger also wrote that he hoped the Governor would not veto the bill because "...after all, it does give parties 2 methods to remain on the ballot - and 2 methods is better than one."

Vezey said the current system places unnecessary financial burdens on small political parties.

"The current system forces political parties to expend energy on gubernatorial races instead of focusing their resources on influencing legislation and helping district and local candidates," said Vezey.

Broadcast Note: An audio actuality is available by calling 1-800-478-6540.

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