On March 31, a New York state trial court in Steuben County struck down the new boundaries for State Senate and U.S. House districts. Harkenrider v Hochul, E2022-0116cv. The decision is based on the State Constitution, which was amended in 2014 to eliminate partisan gerrymandering. Here is the decision. Thanks to ElectionLawBlog for the link.
On March 31, U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Helen C. Adams, an Obama appointee, issued a short order in Iowa Libertarian Party v Pate, 4:19cv-241. This is the case filed in 2019 against the new March petition deadline for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, for all offices except president. The legislature had moved that petition deadline from August to March. The legislature had not disturbed the August petition deadline for presidential petitions.
The order from the court is only two sentences. It says, “Text order granting motion for summary judgment filed by Iowa Libertarian Party; and denying motion for summary judgment filed by Paul D. Pate, Jr (Pate is the Secretary of State). A separate written Ruling setting out the legal analysis will be filed.”
When the written decision is issued, it will be posted here. This order seems to show that the Iowa Libertarian Party, and other unqualified parties, and independent candidates, will now be able to submit petitions for additional candidates for the 2022 election. Presumably they will have until August 2022 to do that, although this isn’t certain yet. The Libertarian Party had complied with the March deadline for its nominee for Governor and four state legislative candidates, but no others. It especially had wanted to submit petitions for a U.S. House candidate.
On March 31, the Eleventh Circuit refused to hear Libertarian Party of Georgia v Cowen, 21-13199. This is the case that challenges the Georgia law that has kept all minor party candidates off the ballot for regularly-scheduled elections for U.S. House since it was passed in 1943.
The party will now ask for U.S. Supreme Court review.
On March 30, the Mississippi legislature voted not to adjourn on April 3, but to remain longer. This will give the legislature a chance to pass additional bills, including the bill to restore the initiative process. See this story.
On March 31, Alabama state officials informed the U.S. Supreme Court that they don’t intend to respond to the cert petition in Libertarian Party of Alabama v Merrill, 21-1288. This is the case over access to the list of registered voters. Alabama gives a free list to the qualified parties but charges unqualified parties $35,000 for the list.
