On June 19, the New Mexico Senate passed SB 4. It allows independent voters to changer their affiliation to a major party as late as primary day, in order to be able to vote in that primary. The House will probably pass the same bill on Saturday, June 20. That is the last day of the legislative session. Thanks to several people for this news.
On June 19, Tiffany Bond, an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, filed a federal lawsuit for ballot access relief. Bond v Dunlap, 1:20cv-216. The case has not yet been assigned to a judge. Existing law requires statewide independents to submit 4,000 signatures.
On June 19, the Maryland State Board of Elections settled the lawsuit Maryland Green Party v Hogan, 1:20cv-1253. The Board will only require 5,000 signatures for party status, instead of the usual 10,000. The settlement only applies to 2020. Technically the settlement only applies to the Green Party and the Libertarian Party, but probably if another party were to ask for the same treatment, the Board would grant it.
In April, the Board and the Governor had authorized electronic signatures for these petitions, and for independent candidate petitions.
As a result of this settlement, at the current time, the Libertarian Party will be able to place its presidential nominee on the ballot in all 51 jurisdictions by completing various petitions in various states, none of which now require more than 5,000 signatures.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito has asked Texas to respond by Monday, June 22, in Democratic Party v Abbott, 19A1055. This is the case over Texas rules for absentee voting. Texas law says voters age 65 and over can vote absentee for any reason. Younger voters cannot vote absentee unless they will be away from home on election day. The Texas Democratic Party wants any voter to have the ability to vote absentee, and argues that the 26th amendment to the U.S. Constitution does not permit Texas to treat old voters differently than other voters. The party won injunctive relief in U.S. District Court, but the Fifth Circuit reversed. Here is the party’s application to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The 26th amendment says “The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen 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.”
Last year, the Commission on Presidential Debates set the deadlines for three general election presidential debates, and one vice-presidential debate. Now President Trump’s campaign wants four presidential debates, and wants the first debate to be earlier than September 29. See this story. The Biden campaign does not want any change.
