On April 8, the Republican Party of Lynchburg, Virginia, filed a federal lawsuit against a new law that makes it almost impossible for a qualified party to nominate by any means other than government-administered primary. Lynchburg Republican City Committee v Virginia Department of Elections, w.d., 6:25cv-29. Here is the Complaint, which challenges a law that took effect last year that requires parties to nominate by a means that allows absentee voting. The lawsuit complains that in practice, a party that wants to nominate by party meeting simply can’t comply with the new law.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Norman K. Moon, a Clinton appointee.
Richard, is it unusual for a local affiliate of a state party to file these complaints instead of the state party?
Asking for a friend.
Qualified parties should be considered to “own” their lines on the ballot, and should be able to make direct nominations any way that they choose.
@HR, Virginia is a bit odd in that individual party units (county, legislative district, etc.) can choose their own form of nomination. This is facilitated by Virginia having odd year elections for the legislature, so you might have a primary for a congressional district one year, and a nominate for a legislative district in the same area by convention the next.
In this case, the Lynchburg party officials might be litigating what they believe is a principle. The state party may be more pragmatic, not wanting to spend money on a losing lawsuit and might prefer state funded primaries.
@WZ,
That entangles state and political parties.
@JR’s summation leads me to think the new law needs to change or be recinded. They say that showing up is half the battle, so Lynchburg has a common-sense reason for wanting in-person votes, and this desire ought to be granted expeditiously.
In person on the record votes are the only way to go.