Ninth Circuit Sets Oral Argument in Alaska Case Over Low Campaign Contribution Limits

The Ninth Circuit will hear Thompson v Hebdon, 17-35019, on Monday, February 22, at 10 a.m. This is the Alaska case over the $500 limit on how much an individual may contribute to a candidate for state office, or to a political group. The law also makes it almost impossible for a non-resident of Alaska to contribute anything. The Ninth Circuit had upheld these laws in 2018, but then in 2019 the U.S. Supreme Court had summarily reversed the decision and remanded it back to the Ninth Circuit.

In 2006 the U.S. Supreme Court had struck down Vermont’s $400 limits in Randall v Sorrell. The Ninth Circuit in the Alaska case had declined to apply the Randall decision because there was no single U.S. Supreme Court opinion signed by a majority of members of the U.S. Supreme Court. But then the U.S. Supreme Court said the Ninth Circuit was in error; the Randall holding is binding regardless of whether there was a single majority opinion.

Here is the Ninth Circuit brief of the groups opposed to the Alaska limits. It was filed in March 2020. The case has moved very slowly.

New Hampshire Ballot Access Bill

New Hampshire Representative Max Abramson (R-Seabrook) has introduced HB 570. It would ease ballot access for new and previously unqualified parties. It sets up a minor party classification in the law. A minor party is a group with at least 500 registered members. It would nominate by convention.

The bill also expands the definition of a qualified major party, to include having received at least 4% for president. Currently only elections for U.S. Senate and Governor count toward meeting the 4% vote test. Here is the bill’s text.

New Registration Data for North Carolina

North Carolina State Board of Elections posts new registration tallies each week. Here is the January 16, 2021 tally. The percentages are: Democratic 35.31%; Republican 30.70%; Libertarian .63%; Constitution .07%; Green .05%; independent and miscellaneous 33.23%.

On October 10, 2020, the percentages were: Democratic 35.70%; Republican 30.18%; Libertarian .62%; Constitution .06%; Green .05%; independent and miscellaneous 33.39%.

New Colorado Registration Data

The Colorado Secretary of State has released registration data for January 1, 2021. Here is it. Percentages are: Democratic 29.89%; Republican 27.19%; Libertarian 1.12%; Constitution .31%; Green .23%; Approval Voting .09%; Unity .08%; independent and miscellaneous 41.09%.

On October 1, 2020, the percentages were: Democratic 30.09%; Republican 27.36%; Libertarian 1.07%; Constitution .30%; Green .23%; Unity .07%; Approval Voting .07%; independent and miscellaneous 40.83%.