On June 21, Bill King revealed that he has joined the SAM Party, and is the state chair of that party in Texas. King was a candidate for Mayor of Houston in 2015. In the December 12 run-off, he was almost elected, polling 49.04% of the vote. He was an independent at the time, but the election was non-partisan. He is an author, attorney, and businessman, and a regular contributor to the Houston daily newspaper. Thanks to Brad Moore for this news. See this link to King’s announcement in the Austin daily newspaper.

Indiana lets persons age 65 and over vote absentee for any reason, but younger voters can’t vote absentee with being away from home on election day. On June 21, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case that challenged this practice on grounds that the 26th amendment says “the right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged on account of age.” Okeson v Tully, 20-1244. The lower courts had upheld Indiana’s law.

Law Professor Steve Vladeck has this commentary at MSNBC, criticizing the Tenth Circuit opinion Fitisemanu v USA, 20-4017. The decision came down on June 15 and said that despite the Fourteenth Amendment, which says “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside”, persons born in American Samoa are not U.S. citizens, even if they are living in a state. The case had been filed by individuals living in Utah but who were born in American Samoa. Thanks to Howard Bashman for the link.