This lengthy Birmingham News story explains how the Alabama Libertarian Party managed to get on the ballot this year, by completing the 3% petition for the first time since 2000.
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On June 13, U.S. District Court Judge Mark A. Goldsmith issued an order in Johnson v Michigan Board of State Canvassers, e.d., 2:22cv-11232. He refused to order the state to print Perry Johnson’s name on the Republican gubernatorial primary ballot. The primary is August 2. The state had kept him off after determining that he didn’t have enough valid signatures. See the order here.
James Craig, another Republican gubernatorial candidate who failed to get on the ballot, is launching a write-in campaign. The primary is August 2.
On Sunday, June 12, the Fifth Circuit lifted the stay in Robinson v Ardoin, 22-30333. This is a redistricting case for Louisiana U.S. House districts. On June 6 U.S. District Court Judge Shelly Dick had ruled that Louisiana’s districting plan violates the Voting Rights Act, but on Thursday, June 9, the Fifth Circuit had stayed her order. The June 12 action means that the Louisiana legislature will proceed to draw new districts.
Louisiana has six U.S. House districts, and almost one-third of the population is African American. The issue is whether the state must draws two majority Black districts, or just one. The legislature earlier this year had drawn just one.
The three judges who signed the June 12 order are Stephen A. Higgonson, an Obama appointee; Jerry E. Smith, a Reagan appointee; and Dan R. Willett, a Trump appointee. Here is their order.
The states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah, had filed an amicus brief, urging the court to retain the districts the legislature had drawn earlier this year.
Louisiana does not have congressional primaries; it only has a general election in November. If no one gets 50%, there is a December run-off. This is a key fact in allowing the courts to act so late in the year. The Fifth Circuit noted that almost every congressional candidate gets on the Louisiana ballot by paying a filing fee, and that also makes it possible for the districts to change as late as June of an election year.
Alaska held a special primary for U.S. House on June 11. Most votes haven’t been counted yet, but here is a link to the Elections OFfice’s election returns.
On June 10, Andy Gottlieb filed his brief in the Second Circuit in his ballot access case, Gottlieb v Lamont, 22-449. The issue is the Connecticut petition requirement for legislative candidates, 5% of the number of registered voters who are enrolled in that party, to be collected in only 14 days. Here is the opening brief. The U.S. District Court had upheld the requirements.