The Libertarian Party is ballot-qualified in Cook County, Illinois, but the election officials think that only means the party can have a primary for Cook County Executive offices. On February 1, the party filed a federal lawsuit, arguing that it is also entitled to nominate candidates in its Cook County primary for County Commission. Here is the Complaint in Libertarian Party of Illinois v Yarbrough, n.d., 1:22cv-578.

The Libertarian Party is qualified in Cook County because in November 2020, it polled 6.7% for State’s Attorney of Cook County. The vote test in Illinois is 5%. The State’s Attorney 2020 race was between a Democrat, a Republican, and a Libertarian.

Eight Vermont State Senators have introduced SB 229, which would provide for ranked choice voting for primaries and general elections, for president and congress. The sponsors include six Democrats and two Progressives. The Vermont Senate has 30 members.

On January 31, fourteen states filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Merrill v Milligan, the Alabama U.S. House redistricting lawsuit. Louisiana officials wrote the brief, which was then also signed by Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. All those states have Attorneys General who are Republicans. The brief is on the side of Alabama.

The main point of the amicus is that it is too late to redraw the Alabama districts. The brief admits that the lawsuit against the Alabama districts was filed on November 4, 2021, the very day the new Alabama districts were finalized. The brief complains about the difficulty for Alabama to redraw its districts given that the primary is May 24. But the brief does not acknowledge that Alabama could postpone its 2022 primary. In 2020 many states postponed primaries. Alabama congressional primaries were in June from 1986 through 2010. In 1980 they were in September.