Spectrum News (formerly Time Warner Cable News), Central New York Division, has this news story about Howie Hawkins and his presidential run.
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The federal lawsuit Gonzales v Madigan, n.d., 1:16cv-7915, is finally over. In 2016 Jason Gonzales qualified for the Illinois Democratic primary, 22nd district, to run against long-time Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. The district is majority Hispanic. Gonzales alleges that after it was clear that he was filing, Madigan recruited two other Hispanic-surnamed candidates to run in the same primary, allegedly to split the vote among three Hispanic-surnamed candidates.
In most states that would probably not lead to a lawsuit. But in 1974, the Seventh Circuit had ruled in Smith v Cherry that such behavior violates the Constitution, and Illinois is in the Seventh Circuit. Gonzales sued in 2016, and lost the case in 2019, after a convuluted process that included sanctions for failure to produce certain documents. Last year Gonzales asked for a rehearing, but that was denied on May 23, 2020. The appeal period has now passed, and Gonzales did not file a notice of Appeal to the Seventh Circuit.
Madigan is running again in 2020. He did not have any primary opponents in 2018 nor 2020. He has been in the legislature since 1970.
The Sacramento County Superior Court will hear Macarro v Padilla, 34-2020-80003404, on July 2, Thursday, at 1:30 p.m. This is the case in which proponents of a statewide initiative are asking for more time to finish their petition, due to the health crisis.
On June 24, the Democratic National Committee said that most delegates to the national convention will vote remotely, instead of being physically in Milwaukee. See this story.
As far as is known, the only U.S. political party that will have chosen its 2020 presidential nominee via an in-person presidential convention is the Republican Party.
On June 26, the party announced plans for four virtual hearings to help write the platform. See the party’s webpage here.
On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in Texas Democratic Party v Abbott, 19A1055. This is the case in which the Texas Democratic Party charges that Texas law on no-excuse absentee voting violates the 26th Amendment. The Texas law says voters age 65 and above may vote absentee for any reason, but younger voters are not treated that way. The 26th amendment 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 by the United States or by any State on account of age.” Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.
That makes two election law cases involving the health crisis that the U.S. Supreme Court has avoided. The other one was Thompson v DeWine, on whether ballot access relief should be given to Ohio initiative proponents.