On December 3, the Fifth Circuit heard argument in Hopkins v Hosemann, 19-60678. The issue is the Mississippi Constitution’s provision that bars ex-felons from registering to vote, unless the Governor restores their voting rights. The three judges were Edith Jones, a Reagan appointee who appeared hostile to the plaintiffs; Carolyn Dineen King, a Carter appointee; and James L. Dennis, a Clinton appointee. See this story.
On December 3, the plaintiffs in Mecinas v Hobbs, 2:19cv-5547, filed this scathing criticism of the Arizona Secretary of State for requesting a delay of 90 days in the case. This is the lawsuit over the Arizona law that says the nominees of the party that won the last gubernatorial election are always listed first on the ballot.
The brief recounts the history of several other election law litigation in Arizona, and says the state has a pattern of trying to stall such cases. The brief asks the court not to grant the 3-month delay. Arizona has a Democratic Secretary of State, but a Republican Attorney General.
U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel will hold a trial in Miller v Hughs, w.d., 1:19cv-1071, on July 20-21, 2020. This is the lawsuit in which Democrats challenge the Texas law that says the nominees of the party that won the last gubernatorial election are always listed first on the general election ballot.
Great Britain holds a parliamentary election on December 12. In the average House of Commons district, there will be five parties on the ballot. See this wikipedia article. There are 650 seats and 3,429 candidates, so the average district has 5.3 candidates.
By contrast, in the United States in November 2018, the average U.S. House district only had 2.6 candidates on the ballot.
The New York Law Journal has this article about legal flaws in the New York Campaign Finance Commission’s work. That work, which has the force of law if the legislature leaves it alone, makes it far more difficult for minor parties and independent candidates to get on the ballot and for parties to obtain and keep qualified party status. Thanks to Joe Burns for the link.
UPDATE: also see this story.
