The South Carolina non-presidential primaries are on June 9. The Republican primary ballot will ask an advisory question, “Do you support giving voters the right to register with the Political Party of your choice?” Currently South Carolina has open primaries, and the voter registration form does not ask about party affiliation. Any voter on primary day is free to choose any party’s primary ballot.

If the idea passes with a big margin, in 2021 the Republican Party will probably try to persuade the legislature, which has a Republican majority, to implement a closed primary. Ironically, this year any voter is free to choose the Republican ballot, and this may motivate persons who don’t normally choose the Republican primary ballot to choose it this year.

On June 2, the plaintiffs in Gottlieb v Lamont, 3:20cv-623, filed this Reply brief. This is the lawsuit over whether Connecticut should give petitioning relief for candidates seeking a spot on the August 11 primary ballot. The Governor already cut the signature requirement for primaries down to 70% of normal, and extended the deadline two days, but the plaintiffs argue that is not enough relief. Their brief contains information about attempts to petition and how difficult it is.

South Carolina State House member Jonathon Hill (R-Townville) has filed a lawsuit in state court against the South Carolina Republican Party, charging that it is contributing to the campaign of his primary opponent. The primary is June 9. See this story.

In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously struck down a California law that required parties to be neutral in their own primaries. No one mentioned in the story seems to be aware of that decision, Eu v San Francisco County Democratic Central Committee, 489 US 214.