EFFORT TO LIMIT THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES IS ILL-CONSIDERED BILL

State Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter, wants to limit the possibility of third parties' getting access to the ballot. Howard has proposed a bill that would drastically tighten the requirements for new parties and independent candidates seeking a spot on the ballot. The changes are viewed as extreme even by many in Howard's own party.

Currently, a new party -- one not allowed an automatic spot on the ballot -- must submit petitions with 10,000 signatures from anywhere in the state to get on the ballot. With that requirement met, a new party can field candidates for any statewide, congressional or legislative office. Howard's bill requires new parties seeking a statewide ballot spot to have signatures equal to 20 percent of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election, plus 5 percent of the registered voters in each congressional district.

On Nov. 5 there were more than 2.14 million Missourians voting for governor. Thus Howard's bill would require a new party to gather 428,503 signatures to make the statewide ballot. This is nearly four times what is currently required for an initiative to qualify for the ballot under Missouri's initiative petition process for proposing ballot measures.

In evaluating the Howard proposal, it is helpful to recall his experience in the last election. Sen. Howard breezed his way through the August primary election unopposed. He was on his way to another free ride on the Nov. 5 ballot -- there was no Republican nominee -- when Dexter agribusinessman and minister Ray Rowland mounted his challenge as a U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate.

Howard's bill is an ill-considered measure deserving little or no consideration. No brief is held here for any third party, but our system needs to offer such impulses the safety valve of ballot access that isn't unduly cumbersome.