psychoceramics: silly parties

[dasher @ netcom.com (Anton Sherwood)]

> I don't know what the set up is in America, but over here it's fairly
> easy to put up your own party for election: you have to lay down a
> deposit of a couple of hundred(?) quid at each constituency to get on
> the ballot paper - but you don't have to run everywhere.  [...]

It's rather hairier here in California: to be a party you need voters.
When you register to vote, you check a party; this entitles you to vote
on that party's nominations.  (Yes, the State supervises nominations:
we Libertarians are suing to change that, but not holding our breath.)
A few years ago, the Greens got the requisite tens of thousands to check
"Other: _Green_", so they're now a recognized party.

To put your name on the ballot, you must pay 1% of the office's yearly
salary or collect some implausible number of signatures.  To assist in
the latter task, the Registrar will provide a list of registered voters,
most of whom have moved.

Anton Sherwood   *\\*   +1 415 267 0685   *\\*   DAS--@n--.com