On the evening of March 3, the U.S. House passed HR 1 by 220-210. It contains many provisions that would help voting rights. It no longer allows states to disenfranchise ex-felons, for federal elections. It requires all states to have nonpartisan redistricting commissions, for drawing U.S. House districts. It requires that all states, in federal elections, use paper ballots instead of electronic vote-counting machines that don’t produce a paper trail. Unfortunately, not only does it not do anything for ballot access, it indirectly hurts ballot access for minor party and independent presidential candidates by making it five times more difficult for them to qualify for primary season matching funds.

The bill is not expected to pass the U.S. Senate, given the existence of the filibuster which would require support from 60 U.S. Senators. But it is possible that the ideas in the bill will be broken up into separate bills, some of which might pass.

On March 3, the Iowa Libertarian Party filed this brief in Iowa Libertarian Party v Pate, s.d., 4:19cv-241. This is the case that challenges the 2019 law that moved the petition deadline for non-presidential independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties from August to March.

This lawsuit has nothing to do with the 2021 bill that increases the number of signatures for such candidates. That bill still isn’t law, because it Iowa’s Governor, Kim Reynolds, hasn’t taken action on the bill yet.

On March 2, Arkansas HB 1338 passed the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously. It makes it more difficult for general election presidential candidates to get on the ballot, whether they are independents or the nominees of unqualified parties. The bill had already passed the House last month. It increases the petition from 1,000 to 5,000. Thanks to John LaBeaume for this news.