Alabama Representative Chris Pringle (R-Mobile) has introduced HB 484. It would move the date of the 2022 primary from May to the second Tuesday in July. The motive for the bill is to give the state more time to redraw the U.S. House and legislative district boundaries.
If the bill passed, that would automatically move the petition deadline for independent candidates, and new or previously unqualified parties, from May to July. The deadlines are on primary day.
Indiana permits voters age 65 and over to vote by mail, but does not extend the same right to younger voters, unless they will be absent from their home area on election day. A case is currently pending in the U.S. Supreme Court on whether this law violates the 26th Amendment, which 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 April 8, the Constitutional Accountability Center filed this amicus brief in the case, which is Tully v Okeson, 20-1244. The Center argues that the Indiana law does violate the 26th amendment.
The state will be filing its brief in defense of its law later today. Then the Court will consider whether to hear it. The lower court had upheld the law.
California Assemblymember Chad Mayes has introduced AB 446. It would make it easier for a new or previously unqualified party to get on the ballot. For a party that merely wants to be on the upcoming ballot for president, it would reduce the petition from 10% of the last gubernatorial vote to 1% of the last gubernatorial vote.
It would also ease the vote test for a party to remain qualified, from 2% for a statewide office to one-half of 1% in the primary. Thanks to Mike Feinstein for this news.
On April 6, Wisconsin held an election to fill the vacancy in the State Senate, 13th district, centered on Juneau. The results: Republican John Jagler 51.2%; Democrat Melissa Winker 43.8%; independent candidate Spencer Zimmerman 4.6%; American Solidarity Ben Schmitz .5%.
The independent candidate’s ballot label was “Trump Conservative.”
When this seat was last up, in November 2018, the results were: Republican 59.1%; Democratic 40.9%.
On April 6, the Nevada Senate Legislative Operations & Elections Committee passed SB 292. However, it amended the bill so that it no longer increases the number of signatures needed for a new or previously unqualified party from 1% to 2% of the last vote.
Unfortunately, the part of the bill moving the petition deadline from mid-June to June 1 is still in SB 292. So is the new distribution requirement, requiring that the petition carry the signatures of 1% of the last US House vote in each of the four U.S. House districts.
SB 292 also adds a straight-ticket device to Nevada general election ballots. The vote in Committee was 3-2, with all three Democrats in favor, and both Republicans opposed. Now the bill moves to the Senate floor.
The part of the bill making the deadline earlier is likely unconstitutional. In 1992 a U.S. District Court enjoined the June 10, 1992 petition deadline for new parties. Fulani v Lau, cv-N-92-535.
