Louisiana Bill to Ease Ballot Access for Independent Congressional Candidates

Louisiana Representative Kyle M. Green (D-Marrero) has introduced HB 133, which would let independent congressional candidates get on the general election ballot with a fee instead of a mandatory petition. All independent candidates for president and legislature already have the ability to get on the general election ballot simply by paying a fee. Congressional independents also had that avenue, until January 2024, when a special session of the legislature took that away for independent candidates for Congress, effective 2026. Thanks to Mike Wolf for this news.

Kari Lake Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Expedite Her Case on Electronic Vote-Counting Machines

On March 20, Kari Lake and Mark Fincham asked the U.S. Supreme Court to expedite considration of their lawsuit, Lake v Fontes, 23-1021. This is the case filed by two Republican candidates in Arizona who want to stop the use of Arizona’s vote-counting equipment. Lake and Fincham filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on March 14. So far the state still hasn’t even indicated whether it plans to file an opposition brief. Often states don’t bother to do that, unless the Court asks them to. Here is the brief asking for expedited treatment.

American Independent Party Candidate for California Legislature Becomes First Minor Party Member to Reach General Election in Race with Both Democrats and Republicans

Andre Sandford, a member of the American Independent Party, appears to have placed second in the March 5, 2024 California primary for Assembly, 18th district, in Oakland. The ballots are almost all counted and he has 4,389 votes. The only Democrat in the race has 73,040 votes; the two Republicans have 4,389 votes and 4,004 votes.

Assuming the final vote count holds up, he will be the first minor party member since the California top-two system started to reach the general election ballot in a race with both a Republican and a Democrat also running. This sentence is true for congressional races and partisan state offices. It does not relate to the presidential election, because top-two does not affect presidential elections.

Here is Sandford’s campaign website.

Missouri Republican Party Files Lawsuit to Keep Darrell McClanahan Off its Primary Ballot

On March 21, the Missouri Republican Party filed a lawsuit in state court to force the Secretary of State to remove Darrell McClanahan from its primary ballot. He is running for Governor and is an honorary member of the Ku Klux Klan. The party says it has a freedom of association right to keep candidates off its primary ballot if the candidate’s values conflict with the party’s values. Missouri Republican State Committee v Secretary of State, Cole Co. Circuit Court, 24AC-cc02151.