As amazing as it might seem, sometimes politicians can be persuaded to do the right thing. The NC House has introduced H867, the Electoral Fairness Act. John Blust is the sponsor, and ten other house members have joined as co-sponsors. This bill will reduce NC’s prohibitive ballot access requirements to the national average, meaning that if the bill passes the Libertarian Party will no longer have to bankrupt itself every four years to stay on the ballot, and other minor parties may actually be given a voice.

It’s not everything I’d like to see happen; I’d like to see the state be forced to count write-in votes without the write-in candidate having had to qualify, and I’d like to see all parties be given a choice whether to have a primary or to nominate in convention (thereby avoiding the filing fees), and it would be nice if a party has to re-petition to get on the ballot that their members won’t all revert to "Unaffiliated" status. But it’s a start! If you’re a North Carolina voter, I urge you to write your representative in Raleigh and tell them to support this bill.