WABE, the Atlanta public TV station, has this story about Sam Manuel, the Socialist Workers Party candidate for Atlanta City Council President. Because the office is non-partisan, Manuel was able to get on the ballot by paying a filing fee.
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On October 8, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed S7191. It makes it easier for parties to prevent non-members from obtaining a nomination. This idea is something the Green Party had long desired.
This article about Evan McMullin, independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Utah in 2022, quotes him as saying that other anti-Trump conservative independents will be running for important public office in the future.
On October 8, U.S. District Court Judge Mark E. Walker, an Obama appointee, issued procedural rulings in four pending lawsuits against the 2021 Florida law that curtailed ease of registration and voting, SB 90. Generally he dismissed the state’s procedural objections to the lawsuits.
Here is his 26-page ruling in Harriet Tubman Freedom Fighters Corporation v Lee, n.d., 4:21cv-242.
Here is his 41-page ruling in League of Women Voters of Florida v Lee, n.d., 4:21cv-186.
Here is his 62-page ruling in Florida State Conference of NAACP v Lee, n.d., 4:21cv-187.
Here is his 60-page ruling in Florida Rising Together v Lee, n.d., 4:21cv-201.
Finally, here is a news story that summarizes the four decisions.
As already reported, a U.S. District Court Judge this year invalidated the Georgia’s 5% petition requirement for non-Republican, non-Democratic candidates for U.S. House. Later in the year, the judge then ruled that until the legislature fixes the law, she would impose a 1% petition requirement for U.S. House, legislature and partisan county office. Afterwards, the state appealed the decision that strikes down the 5% petition.
On September 29, the Georgia Libertarian Party cross-filed and said it intends to ask the Eleventh Circuit to revise the interim 1% petition requirement. Even a 1% petition (of the number of registered voters) exceeds 5,000 signatures in the average district. Furthermore, the U.S. District Court also imposed the filing fee, which is approximately $5,200. The party will be arguing that it has already showed a modicum of voter support and that its 2022 nominees should not be required to collect so many signatures and pay such a high fee.