John Seiler has this op-ed in the Orange County Register, advocating an end to the California top-two system. Thanks to Eric Wong for the link.
The op-ed was also published in the Los Angeles Daily News.
4
The Tennessee State and Local Government Committee had expected to hear SB 2189 on Tuesday, March 15, but the Committee has postponed the bill to March 22. Perhaps the Committee members want to see if the House passes the identical bill (HB 2067) on Wednesday, March 16. The bill eases the petition to recognize a new party.
On March 14, the North Carolina Republican Party filed this amicus curiae brief in Cawthorn v Circosta, 22-1251. This is the case over whether Congressman Madison Cawthorn can stop election officials from determining whether he meets the Constitutional qualifications to run for Congress. The
U.S. District Court had ruled in Cawthorn’s favor on the grounds that the Fourteenth Amendment, section three, relating to insurrection, is no longer in effect because Congress in 1872 granted a blanket amnesty that is still in force.
The Republican Party amicus brief takes no position on whether the Fourteenth Amendment, section three, is still in force. Instead it argues that state election officials do not have the power to judge qualifications. The brief is uncompromising on that point, and says, in effect, that states can’t keep people off the ballot for congress, even if they are under-age, or aren’t citizens. Instead, if someone who doesn’t meet the qualifications is elected, then Congress will likely refuse to seat that person.
On March 8, Paul Berry, a Republican congressional candidate, filed a lawsuit in state court, complaining about the failure of the legislature to have redrawn new U.S. House districts. Berry v State, 224c-cc00103, Cole County Circuit Court. This lawsuit is unusual because it does not involve partisanship. The Missouri legislature has a Republican majority in both houses. The House has passed a plan for new U.S. House districts, but the Senate has not. Here is the Complaint. Berry wants the court to draw the districts.
The primary is in August and the deadline for candidates to file for the primary is March 29. Independent candidate petitions are due in late July. Thanks to Ken Bush for the link.
Alaska Senate Bill 161 has a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 16, at 1:30 p.m. It eases the definition of a qualified party. Here is the sponsor’s one-page letter, setting forth details about the bill.