The Third Circuit will hear Balsam v Guadagno, 14-3882, on Tuesday, March 17, probably in Philadelphia. This is the case in which some voters argue that the U.S. Constitution does not permit states to pay for partisan primaries unless all voters are permitted to vote in those primaries. Some of the voters are independents. Others are members of the Democratic or Republican Parties, but they say they would rather not be members of those parties and they just register that way so they can vote in New Jersey partisan primaries.

New Jersey law lets independent voters join a party on primary day, at the polls, and then they can vote in one of the primaries. That voter is then free to re-register as an independent immediately after voting in the primary. Thanks to Shawn Griffiths for the news about the hearing date.