On May 7, U.S. District Court Judge Joi Elizabeth Peake issued an order in Crowell v Bipartisan State Election Board of North Carolina, m.d., 1:17cv-515. This is the case over North Carolina’s law that does not permit independent voters to serve on the state election board, or on any county election board. The judge ruled that discovery should begin over whether the plaintiff has standing. That will depend on whether he is “willing and able” to serve. Presumably he will be able to show that he is willing and able to serve. This case was filed in 2017 and is one of the oldest election law cases still pending in trial court.