Arizona Representative David Cook (R-Globe) has introduced HB 2581. It would allow candidates who are incumbents to avoid collecting signatures to get on a primary ballot. Instead they would pay a $250 filing fee.
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On January 19, Kentucky Representative Jerry T. Miller (R-Eastwood) introduced HB 323, to move the 2022 primary from May to August 2.
Also on January 19, Governor Andy Beshear vetoed the bills that redistrict the U.S. House district boundaries, and also the bill to redraw the state house boundaries. However, it is expected that the legislature will override those vetoes.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has been Secretary of State since 2018. Pacer shows that 49 lawsuits have been filed in federal court against him. Of course, when anyone alleges that an election law is unconstitutional, it is customary to sue the Secretary of State (assuming the Secretary in that state handles elections; in a few states there is a Secretary of State who is not involved with elections).
Not all of the 49 lawsuits necessarily involves elections, because Secretaries of State have duties not related to elections. BAN has not examined all 49 cases, but it is clear that the vast majority are election law cases. One wonders if any other Secretary of State has been the defendant in this many federal lawsuits.
On January 9, Indiana Representative Ryan Dvorak (D-South Bend) introduced HB 1185, which greatly eases ballot access. It lowers the vote test for qualified party status from 2%, to 2,500 votes. It also lowers the statewide petition for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, from 2% of the last vote for Secretary of State, to 250 signatures.
On January 19, the North Carolina legislature passed HB 605, which moves the 2022 primary from May 17 to June 7. If the bill becomes law, that would also give independent candidates more time to petition. Independent candidate petitions in North Carolina are due on primary day.