On May 20, the California Assembly Appropriations Committee passed AB 446 by 13-3. It reduces the number of signatures for a new party from 10% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 3%. This sounds like a big improvement, but the petition method for qualifying a new party in California is almost never used. Almost every group instead uses the registration procedure, which requires that the group obtain registered members equal to .33% of the number of registered voters. Therefore the practical impact will probably be limited. Even 3% is almost 400,000 signatures.

The bill also makes it easier for a group to register itself to have its registrants tallied. Currently, the Secretary of State won’t let a group use a party name with new officers; the Secretary of State somewhat unreasonably insists that only the old officers can continue in power. The bill says that if an old political body doesn’t bother to reapply, then a new group, with new officers, can use the name, after waiting two years.

The three “no” votes were cast by these three Republicans: Frank Bigelow, Megan Dahle, and Laurie Davies.

On May 21, the Maine Joint Veterans & Legal Affairs Committee passed SB 231. It lets independent voters choose a primary ballot without having to join the party whose ballot they choose. Thanks to John Opdycke for this news. The sponsor is Senator Chloe Maxmin (D-Nobleboro).

On May 21, Indiana filed this brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Tully v Okeson, 20-1244. This is the case over Indiana’s policy of letting age 65 voters vote by mail without excuse, but does not extend the same to younger voters. The plaintiffs argue this violates the 26th amendment, which forbids states from denying or abridging the right to vote on account of age. The lower courts had upheld the Indiana law. The U.S. Supreme Court had asked Indiana to respond.