34-501. "POLITICAL PARTY" DEFINED — PROCEDURES FOR CREATION OF A POLITICAL PARTY. (1) A "political party" within the meaning of this act, is an organization of electors under a given name. A political party shall be deemed created and qualified to participate in elections in any of the following three (3) ways:

(a) By having three (3) or more candidates for state or national office listed under the party name at the last general election, provided that those individuals seeking the office of president, vice president and president elector shall be considered one candidate, or

(b) By polling at the last general election for any one of its candidates for state or national office at least three per cent (3%) of the aggregate vote cast for governor or for presidential electors.

(c) By an affiliation of electors who shall have signed a petition which shall:

(A) State the name of the proposed party in not more than six (6) words;

(B) State that the subscribers thereto desire to place the proposed party on the ballot;

(C) Have attached thereto a sheet or sheets containing the signatures of at least a number of qualified electors equal to two per cent (2%) of the aggregate vote cast for presidential electors in the state at the previous general election at which presidential electors were chosen;

(D) Be filed with the secretary of state on or before August 30 of even numbered years;

(E) The format of the signature petition sheets shall be prescribed by the secretary of state and shall be patterned after, but not limited to, such sheets as used for state initiative and referendum measures;

(F) The petitions and signatures so submitted shall be verified in the manner prescribed in section 34-1807, Idaho Code.

(G) The petition shall be circulated no earlier than August 30 of the year preceding the general election.

(2) Upon certification by the secretary of state that the petition has met the requirements of this act such party shall, under the party name chosen, have all the rights of a political party whose ticket shall have been on the ballot at the preceding general election.

The newly certified party shall proceed to hold a state convention in the manner provided by law; provided, that at the initial convention of any such political party, all members of the party shall be entitled to attend the convention and participate in the election of officers and the nominations of candidates. Thereafter the conduct of any subsequent convention shall be as provided by law.

History:

[34-501, added 1978, ch. 256, sec. 2, p. 560; am. 1985, ch. 42, sec. 1, p. 88; am. 1987, ch. 262, sec. 1, p. 554.]