Idaho to choose Obama, Hillary or prisoner

Voters in Idaho might be surprised to see a third candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination on their primary ballots. Alongside Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, citizens of Idaho will be able to vote for 49-year-old Texas federal prison inmate Keith Russell Judd in their May 27 primary.

Judd, an inmate at Beaumont Federal Correctional Institute in Texas, was jailed for threats he made at the University of New Mexico in 1999 and is due for release in 2013

Judd was able to get on the ballot by submitting the required $1,000 fee, along with a notarized form. Though it is unusual for Judd to be on the ballot since he is a prison inmate,  professor of political science Elizabeth Stiles said there may not be a rule against it in Idaho.

When it comes to the rules that govern primaries, “It’s up to the states,” she said. There may be no law against him as a prisoner contesting the primary.

Concerning delegates, Stiles said that neither candidate can reach the magic number of 2025 delegates. If Judd ends up winning delegates in the primary, it is of little consequence to the overall fight for the nomination. “Maybe if he won Idaho he could have some impact, but more than likely he won’t do well,” Stiles said. Judd may not be able to make an impact on the numbers in the race, but if he wins votes it could affect the campaigns of the major party candidates. With all the recent bickering between candidates, and the disclosure of their substantial incomes, “there may be room for a guy not from the upper-crust,” Stiles said. “That doesn’t mean him [Judd],” she was quick to add.

Stiles also said, if Judd does happen to garner some votes, it could mean the candidates are not campaigning as they should. If a Texas prison inmate is able to earn presidential primary votes, it could cause a change in campaign tactics for the major candidates.

This was not Judd’s first bid for the White House. In 2004, Judd was also on the Idaho ballot as a write-in candidate, though he failed to win any votes. This year, Judd also qualified to be on the ballot as a write-in candidate in Kentucky, California, Florida and Indiana.