Lawsuit Over Whether Candidate Can Campaign in his Sheriff’s Uniform Will Probably Fail on Standing Grounds

Posted on by November 26, 2025
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As noted earlier, one California gubernatorial candidate is suing another candidate because the other candidate has been campaigning while wearing his sheriff’s uniform. Cloobeck v Bianco, Riverside County Superior Court, cvri2505068.

But on November 24, the plaintiff, Stephen Cloobeck, withdrew from the gubernatorial race. That probably means that his lawsuit will be dismissed on standing grounds. Cloobeck will not be able to show that he is being harmed by Chad Bianco’s tendency to wear his uniform while campaigning.

Arizona Clean Elections Commission is Unhappy that Secretary of State Allowed No Labels to Change its Name to Arizona Independent Party

Posted on by November 26, 2025
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The Arizona Clean Elections Commission, which was created to administer the state’s public funding program, is complaining about the Secretary of State’s decision to let the No Labels Party change its name to the Arizona Independent Party. See this story. The Commission doesn’t dispute the idea that a party can change its name. But the Commission doesn’t like the party’s new name, and says putting “Independent” in the name of any party will cause voter confusion.

At some time or other, 47 states have allowed parties on the ballot which had “independent” or “independence” as their name, or as part of their name. The Independence Party of 1908 was on the ballot in almost all states, and the American Independent Party was on the ballot in many states in 1968, including Arizona.

Libertarian Party of Arkansas Completes Petition Drive for 2026 Election

Posted on by November 25, 2025
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The Libertarian Party of Arkansas (LPAR) today submitted 13,238 total signatures to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office, needing 10,000 valid signatures of registered voters to become ballot qualified in Arkansas for all partisan offices, including Federal, State, and Local offices. The LPAR will need a 75.54% validity rate on the submitted signatures to achieve ballot status, which should occur based on validity testing to date.

The LPAR has been on the ballot in all partisan elections in Arkansas since 2012, but it has had to petition every time to get on the ballot. The sole vote test in Arkansas for a political party to remain on the ballot is 3% for Governor in midterm elections and 3% for President in presidential election years.

The LPAR’s press release states: “It’s about time for the state to revise its election laws to recognize parties beyond the established duopoly,” said Michael Pakko, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas. “The current system, which requires us to petition every cycle, disrespects the vital contribution we make to the political process and, more importantly, the demonstrable support we have among Arkansas voters.”

It also states: “The LPAR plans to nominate its candidates at a state convention on the weekend of February 21-22, 2026. Nominees must submit their credentials by noon on the date of the preferential primary election, March 3, before proceeding to the November 2026 general election.”