Senate election schedule in Massachusetts

Via State House News on the http://www.wickedlocal.com/belmont/news/x1886195751/Patrick-amplifies-push-for-interim-Senate-appointment-power">Wicked Local/Belmont site:



Primary: December 8th
General Election: January 19th

Getting 10,000 signatures means you have to GET 20,000 or more signatures to make sure you have valid voters. (The MA Republicans had a candidacy invalided last year when a major candidate fell short of the 10,000 mark. It is decidedly not easy to get those 20,000 when you know the deadline. It is an order of magnitude harder to do this in 6 or 7 weeks.)

Candidates HAVE TO START ANNOUNCING for the seat. Martha Coakley did so today. Others will follow within days. They have to do this or we won't have an election.

There is zero disrespect for Sen. Kennedy or his family in this. None. This is simply a matter of procedure and getting valid candidates into the race, which really begins in earnest after those sigs are filed and certified. Some candidates, after all, might not make it past that first test.

That list of 8 or more people running in each party will dwindle to 2 or 3 and those will depend on people with proven organizations and who are proven fundraisers.

This could require $5 million from each person in the primary. Not everyone has or can raise cash that fast. Getting the 20,000 or more sigs will almost certainly require the use of outside groups, or professionals to get sigs and that costs money as well. ($1 - $10 a sig or so.)

Ah, when would people suggest that candidates start announcing for the seat? There is not disrespect for Sen. Kennedy in this. Last I checked he ran for office in Massachusetts and obeyed and understood all the rules for running in the state.

I'm not faulting her for this at all. The schedule is tight, as you explained very well. I'm guessing Lynch is next, and then, depending on Joe Kennedy's decision, Markey and Capuano. Looks like my favorite (Tierney) isn't going to run, so I have to pick another one :)

and this looks to be a brutal schedule. We could be looking at a really intense race.

In the time it takes for a candidate to get on the ballot, other democracies could have a vote of no confidence, schedule an election, hold the vote, count the votes, and seat the new government. American elections are still stuck in the 18th century, including the quaint habit of having the election on a Tuesday.