Sacramento Bee Story Says California Gubernatorial Recall Would Have Failed Without Court Extension of Petition Deadline

Posted on by March 24, 2021
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This Sacramento Bee story says that the current California gubernatorial recall petition would have failed, except that last year a state trial court granted more time to collect the signatures. However, it wasn’t surprising that the recall proponents won the lawsuit, because earlier the same judge had also granted an extension for two initiative petitions. In the earlier lawsuit granting more time for the two initiatives, the Secretary of State did not oppose the lawsuits.

The two initiatives that received a deadline extension related to plastic waste, and sports gambling. Generally Democrats in state governmemt favored these two initiatives.

Montana Bill to Protect Party Petitions from Being Disqualified by Late Signature Withdrawals

Posted on by March 24, 2021
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On March 2, the Montana State Senate passed SB 350. It curtails the means used in 2020 to keep the Green Party off the ballot. Specifically, it says that if voters wish to withdraw their names from a petition to qualify a new party, they must do so no later than the petition deadline.

In 2020, months after the Green Party petition had been certified, Democratic Party activists knocked on the doors of people who had signed the petition, and persuaded them to withdraw their signatures. Thus the Green Party was removed from the ballot in August, even though it had already held its own primary in June and had already nominated candidates.

On March 17, the House Administration Committee passed the bill. Here is the text.

Virginia Governor Signs Bill Moving Non-Presidential Primary, and Non-Presidential Petition Deadline, to a Later Date

Posted on by March 24, 2021
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On March 18, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed SB 1148. It moves the non-presidential primary from the second week in June to the third week in June. Because the petition deadline for non-presidential independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified party is on primary date, the bill automatically extends the petition deadline a week.

As far as is known, this is the first bill this year that has been signed into law, that improves ballot access for minor party and independent candidates. The bill takes effect too late to affect the 2021 election, but it will help in 2022 and thereafter.