"Virginia Delegate Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond) has introduced HB 1667, to reduce the number of signatures for candidates running in a presidential primary from 10,000 signatures to 5,000. Currently, Virginia is the only state that requires more than 5,000 signatures for all presidential candidates running in a presidential primary. Some major party presidential candidates have had trouble getting on the ballot in Virginia’s presidential primary. For example, in 2008, Democrats Chris Dodd and Mike Gravel, and Republican Duncan Hunter, tried and failed. The requirement is considered so difficult, generally the state Democratic Party itself collects at least 5,000 signatures for all Democratic presidential candidates recognized by the party as legitimate, to help them attain 10,000."
Please, please pass this bill. The 10,000 signatures requirement is SO over the top. It is a complete nightmare for major presidential candidates.
