Wisconsin Groups Ask Federal Court to Postpone April 7 Election in Wisconsin

Posted on by March 30, 2020
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On March 26, some Wisconsin civic groups, labor unions, and voting rights organizations, asked a U.S. District Court to postpone the April 7 primary. Here is the Complaint in Lewis v Knudson, 3:20cv-284 (w.d.). Among many other problems, the Complaint mentions that mail-in ballots must include not only the voter’s signature, but the signatures of a witness who is an adult U.S. citizen. Also, mailed absentee ballots don’t count unless they are received by election officials by April 7.

A somewhat similar lawsuit filed in the Eastern District on March 24 failed to achieve any relief, because U.S. District Court Judge William C. Griesbach, a Bush Jr. appointee, said none of the plaintiffs have standing. Here is the March 27 order in City of Green Bay v Bostelmann. The plaintiffs were the city and its Mayor.

The April 7 election is for the presidential primary, and non-partisan judicial races, including a State Supreme Court election. The primary for partisan offices other than president is not until August 11.

Lewis v Knudson is before U.S. District Court Judge William Conley, an Obama appointee who had already postponed the Wisconsin voter registration deadline to March 30 in another lawsuit, Democratic National Committee v Bostelmann, w.d., 3:20cv-249.

U.S. Supreme Court Won’t Hear Challenge to Seattle’s Voucher System of Campaign Financing

Posted on by March 30, 2020
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On March 30, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Elster v City of Seattle, 19-608. This was the challenge to the Seattle system of public financing of campaigns for city office. The law provides each registered voter with four vouchers. The voter can send them to the candidate of choice, and then the candidate submits them to the city for a check to be used for campaign expenses. The program is paid for by a property tax.

Arizona Obtains Another Month Delay in Responding to Libertarian Party Ballot Access Cert Petition

Posted on by March 30, 2020
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The U.S. Supreme Court has granted a second month’s extention to the Arizona Secretary of State, in Arizona Libertarian Party v Hobbs, 19-757. This is the case that challenges the petition requirements for members of small qualified parties to place candidates on their own primary ballot. Originally Arizona wasn’t going to respond, but the Court asked for a response, which was to be submitted March 2. Then the state won an extension to April 1, and now the state’s response is due May 1.

In the meantime, the 2020 election will be the third election in which the restriction is in place. In 2016 and 2018, the law, passed in 2015, kept all Libertarians running for congress and state office off the ballot. The law only applied to the Libertarian Party, not the Green Party, and many Greens were on the ballot in Arizona in 2016 and 2018. Now, however, the Green Party is no longer on the ballot. So for the first time since 1976, there probably won’t be any third party candidates on the Arizona ballot for Congress in 2020.

New York Governor Still Wants to Make Ballot Access More Severe for Minor Parties and Independents

Posted on by March 30, 2020
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This New York Daily News story says New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wants the legislative budget bill to include a revision of the definition of “political party”, and an increase in the petition requirement for statewide independent and minor party candidates.

If that happens, it would violate due process to increase the petition requirement in the middle of an election year.