The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Thompson v DeWine, 21-1120, at its March 4 conference. This is the case over whether Ohio should have given petitioning relief for initiatives during the health crisis.
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On February 16, former Illinois Rod Blagojevich filed this brief in his federal lawsuit against the state legislature. He seeks a ruling that his 2009 impeachment and removal from office violated his constitutional rights. He had been pardoned by President Donald Trump, so he is not in prison. But he seeks to regain the ability to run for state or local office. Blagojevich v State of Illinois General Assembly, n.d., 1:21cv-4103.
On February 23, the Texas Libertarian Party filed this reply brief in Bilyeu v Esparza, w.d., 1:21cv-1089. It is five pages and very clear. The issue is the Texas law that forbids a qualified convention party from considering anyone for a nomination if that potential candidate hasn’t paid a filing fee. The hearing on this case is being held today, February 24.
The Tennessee House Subcommittee on Elections & Campaign Finance had been set to hear the ballot access bill on February 23, but that meeting has been postponed to March 2. The bill, HB 2067, lowers the petition to create a new party from 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote, to .5%. It also reduces the vote test from 2.5% to 1%.
On February 23, the Arkansas NAACP filed a notice of appeal in Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP v Arkansas Board of Apportionment. This is the case in which the U.S. District Court had said that only the federal government can bring lawsuits under the Voting Rights Act, section two. That decision violates U.S. Supreme Court precedent, and no other federal court had ever come to such a conclusion in the 56-year history of the Voting Rights Act.