The state Government Accountability Board has not recommended that any candidates be kept off of the fall election ballot due to the illegibility of names on their nomination papers, an agency official said Wednesday.
GAB staff has completed its review of nomination papers from 316 candidates who filed by the deadline on Monday in preparation for the Board to finalize the ballot on June 10. Nearly 100 candidates filed nomination papers on the day of the deadline, requiring staff to complete its review the following day.
Elections Division Administrator Michael Haas says it was challenging to implement a new state law on the legibility of names on petitions. Names that are not legibly printed have been struck, but Haas says that has not resulted in any candidates falling below the minimum number of signatures required to get on the ballot. Candidates with petition legibility issues who filed before the deadline were contacted so they had time to collect and file additional signatures.
Haas said the staff is recommending some candidates not be put on the ballot because they do not have enough valid signatures – but that the legibility issue is not the reason they fell short. Staff may still recommend more or less signatures be struck depending upon the outcome of challenges.
Two candidates – one for governor and one for assembly – submitted old petition forms that did not have a space for signers to legibly print their name, as required by the new law that went into effect on April 1. GAB staff is recommending they not be placed on the ballot.