Ballot-access-LTE-Robertson

====Source====
Saturday, October 14, 2006, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
==All political parties should play by the same rules==
I will agree that Pennsylvania voters' choices are
limited by ballot-access laws favoring Republicans and
Democrats as indicated in the Post-Gazette ("Political
Variety: Candidates Should Face the Same Petition
Rules," Oct. 3). Factor in gerrymandered election
districts, and the choice is often limited to one.
For the free and equal elections clause of the
Pennsylvania Constitution to be truly enacted, the
nominees of minor parties should be required to have
the same number of signatures to be on the November
ballot as those of the major parties, which is to say,
none.
If the major parties wish to have a publicly funded
nomination process, then it may be reasonable for
candidates to demonstrate some support through
signatures on petitions. The Libertarian Party of
Pennsylvania nominates candidates at its own expense.
A step in the right direction would be the adoption of
the Voters Choice Act (www.Paballotaccess.org). This
act would define minor political parties based on
voter registration and help to give Pennsylvanians the
choices they deserve for their elected
representatives.
As a result of the current system, Libertarian
candidate for U.S. Senate Tom Martin must now run a
write-in campaign, and I encourage voters to use this
option to send an excellent representative of
Pennsylvania to Washington.
Michael Robertson, MICHAEL J. ROBERTSON, Western Vice-Chair, Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
Clarion County