Ballot access in MD

In Maryland there are two ways to get on the primary ballot, the first is to be recognized by the Secretary of State as a viable national candidate (usually read to require declaration but it is upto the Secretary) and the other is petition and certification of candidacy signed by the candidate. It is probably too late to get the signatures at this point but if Gore declares before the deadline then he will probably make the ballot on the first criteria. Even if he doesn't declare if we get enough people contacting the Secretary with press items proving his viability and support nationally (and statewide) he might still make the ballot unless he specifically requests to be taken off. The problem even if he is on the ballot is we will need convention delegate candidates declared within a week after the Secretary of State's certification on Nov. 26, this requires only a simple filing in person at the state Board of Elections. For a petition, if we start now (someone with more time than myself) might be able to have the signatures in place if Gore were to declare in the week between the Secretary's certification and the filing deadline. If Gore does not declare in time and is not place on the ballot by the Secretary, the ballot in Maryland has Uncommitted automatically on it, if Uncommitted gets enough votes and we have candidates for the delegation running as uncommitted in name but planning to vote for Gore then Gore could still have convention delegates from MD.