On February 3, Christopher Schmidt, an independent candidate for U.S. House in New York, filed a federal lawsuit against the 3,500 signature requirement for U.S. House independent candidates. He argues that the law is unconstitutional because primary candidates only need 1,250 signatures to run for U.S. House. Schmidt v New York State Board of Elections, n.d., 1:26cv-178. The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Brindisi.

Many independent and minor party candidates have filed similar lawsuits over the past 50 years, but they always lose because in 1971 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is constitutional to require such petitions, even if primary candidates for the same office need no petition whatsoever. That case is Jenness v Fortson, from Georgia, where Democrats and Republicans only needed a filing fee but eveeryone else needed a petition of 5% of the number of registered voters.

On February 4, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the request of some California Republicans to block new boundaries for U.S. House districts. Tangipa v Newsom, 25A839.

On January 21, the Alabama House Constitution, Campaigns & Elections Committee passed HB67. It lowers the cost for anyone to obtain a list of the registered voters from approximately $38,000 to exactly $1,000.