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Article: Small parties bid for ballot access in Maryland votes.(Metropolitan Times)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- January 18, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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By some calculations, Maryland is the most repressive state in the union.
Third-party and independent candidates say it is nearly impossible for them to get on the ballot in the Free State, more difficult than anywhere else, and they want to change that.
"Democracy is on the line here," says Pat Cummings, former chairwoman of the Maryland Reform Party and founder of the National Ballot Access Coalition, a new group that lobbies for more lenient rules across the country.
Every state has some requirement for minor parties or independent candidates trying to get on the ballot: collecting signatures on petitions, convincing residents to register ...