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Ballot Access News is a monthly newsletter [1] (http://www.ballot-access.org/) edited and published by Richard Winger of San Francisco, California. Mr. Winger is the leading expert on ballot access law in the United States. Published since 1993, the newsletter advocates for "fair and equitable ballot access laws." The newsletter also reports on state and federal court decisions; compares ballot access laws in other democratic nations; and reports on the number of votes independent and minor party candidates receive and the activities of the Coalition on Free and Open Elections, an interest group of minor party members and others working together on ballot access law reform issues.
American ballot access laws typically involve regulations that require independent and minor political party candidates to collect a certain number of petition signatures, often within a very limited time frame, in order to earn a place on the general election ballot. The exact burden of these regulations varies greatly from state to state, and depending on the office sought.
When ballot access restrictions are challenged in court, it is often argued that such regulations are necessary in order prevent "frivolous" candidates from cluttering the ballot and confusing voters. However, Winger has assembled evidence that unfair ballot access laws place an undue burden on citizens who wish to participate in the political process outside the two dominant political parties.
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