On March 14, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Gettleman denied a request from the Illinois Green Party to intervene in Libertarian Party v Yarbrough, n.d., 1:22cv-578. This is the case over whether the Libertarian Party is entitled to a primary to choose nominees for Cook County Commissioner. The Libertarian Party won injunctive relief earlier this month.

The Greens had intervened, seeking to establish that they are entitled to elect Cook County township officers throughout the county because they are a qualified party in the Metropolitan Water District, which covers almost all of Cook County. But Judge Gettleman denied intervention for the Greens, because he said the issues are also different; also he said the Greens filed too late. Here is the four-page order.

Ordinarily, New Jersey requires 100 signatures for U.S. House, for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties. However, in years after redistricting, the law says only 50 are needed. There are no filing fees in New Jersey.

The only other states with statutory lower requirements in years after redistricting, for U.S. House, are Illinois and Florida. In Illinois the requirement in years after redistricting is 5,000. In Florida the petition in lieu of filing fee is substantially lower than in normal years.

The Washington State Legislature adjourned on March 10. The 2022 session only passed two election law bills. HB 1357 provides that overseas voters may obtain an electronic copy of the Voters Pemphlet from their county elections office. HB 1716 concerns voting centers.

Interesting bills that failed to pass include: two bills to use ranked choice voting in presidential primaries (HB 1926 and SB 5851); and HB 1265, which would have provided for a presidential primary ballot for voters who don’t want to sign in as members of a party that is holding a presidential primary.