Projo Politics Blog

Dave Talan, of Providence, a longtime Republican operative in Rhode Island, is worried that the GOP is not doing a good job of getting the 1,000 signatures required of each presidential candidate to qualify for placement on the March primary ballot.

“Based on our progress so far, we are very concerned we will fail in this effort to get our 10 GOP candidates on the ballot,” Talan said in an e-mail to party activists.

The problem appears to be that not enough rank-and-file Republicans care about their choices in the presidential race.

“It would seem like we have enough people doing this [collecting signatures]. But we are not getting the turnout at these events that we expected; due to weather, the time of year, conflicts with Patriots games, etc. etc.”

“Less than a third of the number of people who normally attend GOP Committee meetings are showing up at these events,” Talan wrote.

“To those of you who tell us ‘Don’t worry, you’re all set, you won’t have any trouble,’ we ARE worried and we need your help,” he wrote. “We do not want to go out Christmas Day, or the day before, in order to qualify our candidates.”

Democrats face no such difficulties gathering voter signatures, said William Lynch, Democratic state chairman.

Incidentally, the shape of Rhode Island’s March 4, 2008, presidential primary should be clear by Jan. 10, the day the secretary of state’s office certifies the names of candidates running for president and the slates of delegates pledged to them.

To get on the ballot, presidential candidates must gather at least 1,000 signatures by Dec. 26.

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