Massachusetts Lawsuit to Cut Number of Signatures for Primary Candidates

On April 8, three Massachusetts major party candidates filed a lawsuit in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, asking that the number of signatures for primary petitions be reduced due to the health crisis.  They are Kevin O’Connor, a Republican running for U.S. Senate; Robbie Goldstein, a Democrat running for U.S. House; and Melissa Bower Smith, a Democrat running for the state house.  See this story.

The case is Goldstein v Galvin, SJ2020-150.  Justice Cypher has referred the case to the full court.  Here is the Emergency Petition_MA_SJC for Relief.

Virginia Petition Deadline for Non-Presidential Petitions Extended Two Weeks

On April 8, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam moved the non-presidential primary from June 9 to June 23. This automatically extends the non-presidential independent and minor party candidate petition deadline, because the law says those petitions are due on primary day.

The order has no effect on the presidential petition deadline, which continues to be August 21.