On April 9, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an opinion in State ex rel Zignego v Wisconsin Elections Commission, 2021 WI 32. It agrees with the State Court of Appeals, concerning a purge of the voter rolls. The decision is 5-2. The State Court of Appeals said the State Elections Commission is not obliged to carry out a purge. The specific issue is whether municipal election officials are in charge of the purge, or whether the state Commission is in charge. The Appeals Court, and the Supreme Court majority, agree local officials are in charge of purging. Voter lists are purged when there is information that a voter has moved and has not re-registered at the new address.

On April 9, the Georgia Libertarian Party filed a response in U.S. District Court in Cowen v Raffensperger, n.d., 1:17cv-4660. The response was requested by the judge. She wants both sides to suggest an interim rule for ballot access for minor party and independent candidates for U.S. House, until the legislature acts. So far the state has not responded. Its response is not due until April 19.

The Georgia Libertarian Party suggests that candidates for U.S. House should either submit 500 signatures, or pay the filing fee, which is quite high (approximately $5,200). The party also suggests that perhaps the court shouldn’t enter any interim rules, because the legislature will be meeting before the filing period for the 2022 election. If the legislature did nothing, and the court does not implement any interim rules, then any candidate could get on the ballot by filing a declaration of candidacy.

On April 9, the Montana House passed SB 350 on second reading, 67-33. It makes three improvements to the procedure for qualifying a new or previously unqualified party: (1) it says a signature should be considered valid even if the signer doesn’t show the exact form of the name compared to the voter registration record; (2) it says no one may withdraw a signature from a petition to create a new party later than the March petition deadline itself; (3) it says any person may present a completed petition to qualify a new party. There is no need for the individual who submits the petition to prove that he or she is a party officer or representative.

The bill will have a vote on Monday, April 12, in the House, for third reading. Then it will have passed the legislature.

This bill exists because of some restrictive rulings by the Montana state courts in 2018 and 2020. Those rulings invalidated Green Party petitions both years.