Wyoming PBS Stations Include All Ballot-Listed Candidates in U.S. Senate, U.S. House Debates

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The Wyoming Public Broadcasting Stations will host the only Wyoming broadcast debates this year for both U.S. Senate and U.S. House. The station invited all ballot-listed candidates. See here. In the U.S. Senate race, three parties have nominees (Republican, Democratic, Country). In the U.S. House race, all five parties on the ballot have nominees (Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, Constitution, and Country).

Wyoming parties must poll at least 2% for U.S. House in order to remain ballot-qualified. In midterm years, several statewide offices count toward party retention, but in presidential years, only the U.S. House race counts. The Libertarian Party has met the vote test in all elections starting in 1994, but this is the first time since 2000 in which any other minor parties have been on the ballot in Wyoming. Thanks to IndependentPoliticalReport for the link.

International Election Observers, Thwarted by State Laws in Some States, Remind U.S. of its Treaty Obligations

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The OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) has been observing elections in its 56 member nations starting in 2002. This article describes the OSCE reaction to recent news that Iowa will not allow international observers to be closer than 300 feet to any polling place. OSCE says it will not violate state laws, but reminds the U.S. that the U.S. already signed agreements that it would allow such observers.

The OSCE, twenty-two years ago, promulgated standards for free and fair elections, which the United States signed. The U.S. agreed “to respect the right of citizens to seek political or public office, individually or as representatives of political parties or organizations, without discrimination.” The U.S. already agreed to “respect the right of individuals and groups to establish, in full freedom, their own political parties or other political organizations and provide such political parties and organizations with the necessary legal guarantees to enable them to compete with each other on a basis of equal treatment before the law and by the authorities.” Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.

U.S. District Court Enjoins North Dakota Law that Makes it Illegal to Persuade Someone to Vote a Certain Way on Election Day

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On October 31, a U.S. District Court entered a preliminary injunction against a North Dakota law that makes it a crime to try to persuade someone to vote a certain way, if that attempted persuasion takes place on election day. The law has an exception for bumper stickers and billboards. See the decision here. The case is Emineth v Jaeger, 1:12-cv-139. The law has existed in the election law since 1911. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.