On March 24, a hearing on procedural motions was held in U.S. District Court in Riddle v Secretary of State, the case over Colorado’s law that bars independent candidates (for office other than President) if they had been registered into a qualified party at any time during the year before filing. Both sides agreed to expedite the case. All briefs will be submitted on or before April 2.
In the meantime, the legislature is also considering a bill to ease the restriction. HB 1271 has already passed the House and has a Senate committee hearing on March 29.
Hmm. I certainly can understand that situations would arise when this might be a serious concern for a political party in making decisions about who it wants to endorse and or nomiante, especially in a state with registration by party.
If I were on a endorsement committee for ‘Party A’ I would certainly want to know that one of the prospective nominees was a member of ‘Party B’. Although, I am some what sketical that the State itself has an interest in this policy to the extent that a full year ban is involved.