On April 23, U.S. District Court Judge Terrence G. Berg held another hearing in Esshaki v Whitmer, the case over whether primary petition signature requirements should be lowered. Judge Berg had already cut the number of signatures down to 50%, but the state objected and asked for a rehearing, which was held. See this news story. A decision will be out by Friday afternoon, April 24.
There are unconfirmed rumors that Congressman Justin Amash has become a dues-paying life member of the Libertarian Party and that he will seek the party’s presidential nomination. There are also rumors that former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura may seek the Green Party presidential nomination.
The last time that either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party nominated someone for president who had not declared as late as April of the election year was 1952, when the Democratic Party nominated Adlai Stevenson at its July 21-26 convention. He had not desired to be a presidential candidate, and had said so clearly. But he gave the welcoming speech at the Democratic Chicago convention, because he was the host Governor, and his speech was received so well, delegates insisted that he run. He did not want to run against General Dwight Eisenhower, but at the convention he agreed to do so.
At its April 22 meeting, the Maryland State Board of Elections voted to permit electronic signatures on petitions for party status and independent candidates. The Board will ask the Governor to reduce the number of signatures for those petitions. Thanks to Kevin Zeese for this news.
On April 23, U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer put her oral order of April 21 into a formal memorandum and order. Libertarian Party of Illinois v Pritzker, n.d., 1:20cv-2112. As reported previously, the Libertarian Party and the Green Party are now on the ballot for President and U.S. Senate, and the Green Party is also on for two U.S. House districts, and some Cook County county board offices.
Libertarian and Green candidates for other partisan offices need a petition that is 10% of the formal requirement, as do independent candidates and the nominees of other unqualified parties. Here is the 10-page opinion and order.
The petition deadline is extended to August 7. That date is included in the injunction order. Electronic signatures are partially permitted.
Two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in Colorado are in state court, or about to be in state court, seeking the same petitioning relief that has already been granted to Michelle Warren. They are Lorena Garcia and Diana Bray. Garcia actually submitted more signatures than Warren did. See this story.
