On March 9, the Idaho House State Affairs Committee passed SB 1110. It requires initiative proponents to obtain the signatures of 6% of the last vote cast in all 35 state legislative districts. It had already passed the State Senate.
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On March 10, the New Hampshire House Election Law Committee passed HB 98, which moves the non-presidential primary from September to June. It would also move the petition deadline for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, from August to May. That is even true for independent presidential petitions. Also it would move the declaration of candidacy deadline for such candidates from June to March. See this story, which does not mention the impact of the bill on petition deadlines.
Texas State Senator Sarah Eckhardt (D-Bastrop) has introduced SB 1292. It repeals the law that says primary voters can’t sign a petition to place an independent candidate on the ballot. Thanks to Linda Curtis for this news.
Texas Representative Mike Schofield (R-Katy) has introduced HB 4402, which would move Texas elections for state office from even years to odd years. The state office primaries would be in September and the state office general election would be in November. Thanks to Linda Curtis for this news.
The Census Bureau has filed this brief in State of Ohio v Raimondo, s.d., 3:21cv-64. This is the case in which Ohio is suing the Census Bureau for being late with census data that the state says it must have. The Census Bureau says it is impossible to have the data by March 31. Furthermore, it says Ohio can go ahead with redistricting even before the data is available.
The hearing is March 19.