Michigan has unusually severe petition requirements for primaries for some statewide offices and U.S. House. According to this story, three Republican candidates for U.S. House, and five Republican gubernatorial candidates, have been told they don’t have enough valid signatures. One Democrat running for U.S. House also has been told the same message.
UPDATE: see this article about the Michigan gubernatorial primary ballot problem by Andy Craig, posted at CATO.
This California Politico news story says that to an increasing extent, the California top-two system encourages incumbents to attack their stronger opponent, in hopes of boosting a weaker opponent, by insincere media ad campaigns. For example, a Democrat will boost his or her desired, weaker opponent by advertising that boosts the weaker opponent relative to the stronger opponent. Thanks to ElectionLawBlog for the link.
On May 23, the losing side in Migliori v Lehigh County Board of Elections asked the Third Circuit to stay its own decision. The issue is whether mail ballots in which the voter forgot to add the date of signing next to the signature on the outer envelope should count. The Third Circuit on May 20 ruled that they should, based on the part of the federal voting rights act that says errors that don’t really matter should not disenfranchise anyone.
The losing side in the Third Circuit says it will ask for U.S. Supreme Court review quickly, and therefore the Third Circuit ought to stay its own decision.
On May 23, the New York State Board of Elections filed this brief in League of Women Voters of New York v Kosinski, s.d., 1:22cv-4084. The issue is whether the statewide primaries should be held on June 28 or August 23. There are other issues in the case also. The tone of the brief is almost hysterical in its insistence that the primary for statewide offices remain in June.
Beau Tremitiere has this article in The Bulwark, noting the similiarity between the use of fusion in the 1890’s by the Peoples Party, and the current Utah US Senate race. The Utah Democratic Party has endorsed independent candidate Evan McMullin.
In the 1890’s, some southern state branches of the Peoples Party nominated the Republican ticket; in many states in the midwest, the Peoples Party nominated the Democratic Party.
Utah does not permit fusion, so the Democratic Party’s support of McMullin can’t show up on the November ballot.
