The Texas Republican Party tried to have its virtual state convention on Thursday, July 16, but could not handle the credentialing process. The party will try again on Saturday and Sunday, July 18-19. See this story. Thanks to Jim Riley for this news.

In fairness to the Republican Party, it had very little time to learn how to do an electronic convention. The city of Houston forced the city to abandon its in-person convention shortly before the scheduled date. The Texas Supreme Court sided with the city. The party could have held its in-person convention in another city but that would also have been a last-minute change.

The South Carolina independent petition deadline has been extended from July 15 to July 20. See this notice from the State Election Commission’s website. The signatures are due by noon on the deadline date.

On June 30, proponents of some Oregon county initiatives filed a federal lawsuit for ballot access relief. McCarter v Brown, 6:20cv-1048. The proponents are trying to get county initiatives on the ballot of many counties, to test public opinion on moving many eastern Oregon counties into Idaho. McCarter v Brown, 6:20cv-1048.

The case is before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane, who already granted ballot access relief to a statewide Oregon initiative. Here is the Complaint in the new case. Thanks to Steve Kamp for this news.