On April 10, Michigan filed this brief in Esshaki v Whitman, e.d., 2:20cv-10831.  This is the case in which a Republican U.S. House candidate is attacking the requirement that he submit 1,000 valid signatures to get on the primary ballot, by April 21.

The state barely acknowledges the health crisis.  It says the burden on him is not severe.  It says he should have gathered his signatures before the health crisis broke out.  It says he is always free to be a write-in candidate in the primary.  It says the state must guard against ballot-crowding and frivolous candidates.

The state says already 24 primary candidates for U.S. House have managed to file petitions.  It does not say that Michigan has 14 U.S. House seats, so that is only about one and two-thirds candidates from both major parties together, in the typical district.

The state’s brief doesn’t mention other states that have either reduced the number of signatures this year, or abolished petitions entirely, or extended petition deadlines.  The primary is August 4.

The oral argument will be April 15, Wednesday, at 2 p.m.

Delaware parties that have at least 712 registered voters are ballot-qualified in 2020.  The American Delta Party had dropped below that number earlier this year, but the party increased its registration during March, so that it now has enough to qualify.  The April tally shows that it has 718 registered members.

Rocky De La Fuente founded the American Delta Party in 2016, as a vehicle for his presidential run.

Both Illinois cases concerning petitioning during the health crisis are being expedited.  Libertarian Party of Illinois v Pritzker, n.d., 1:20cv-2112, will have a hearing on April 17.  That is the case in which the Libertarian and Green Parties ask that petitioning for themselves, and other minor parties and independent candidates, be waived.  A new judge has been assigned to the case, Judge Robert M. Dow, a Bush Jr. appointee.

Morgan v White, n.d., 1:20cv-2189, will also have a hearing on April 17.  This is the case over relaxing the requirements for initiative petitions.  It also has a new judge, Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer, a Clinton appointee.  Thanks to Sam Cahnman for that news.