State Says Perot Party Probably Won Ballot Spot
California’s top elections officer said Wednesday that Ross Perot’s new political party likely qualified for California’s 1996 presidential ballot.
Secretary of State Bill Jones said “there is every indication” that the Reform Party--as it will be known in California--gathered more than the 89,007 voter registrations needed to qualify. State officials have until Nov. 13 to verify the registrations.
Jones said that officially, 47,724 voter registration forms of people wishing to join the party had been processed by county registrars by noon Tuesday. But he said it appears enough other registrations were filed by Perot supporters before the 5 p.m. deadline Tuesday to certify the party.
Perot declared victory for his party-qualifying effort even before the deadline, but Jones initially declined to speculate on whether it had succeeded.
Ohio is the next stop on Perot’s march to form his new party; supporters there have until Nov. 20 to collect 33,500 signatures from registered voters.
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