On November 5, 2019, the voters of Virginia’s 30th House district elected a write-in candidate. Nick Freitas, who was the incumbent, received 14,694 write-ins. His only opponent, Ann Ridgeway, the Democrat, who was the only name printed on the ballot, received 11,011.

Freitas tried to be on the Republican primary ballot in June 2019, but he was kept off due to a paperwork problem. Virginia doesn’t permit write-ins in primaries, so he couldn’t win the Republican nomination via write-in votes. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news.

On December 6, the California Secretary of State released the list of presidential primary candidates. There are 20 Democrats, 7 Republicans, 5 American Independent Party candidates, 13 Libertarians, 5 Greens, and two Peace & Freedom candidates.

Howie Hawkins is on the Green ballot and the Peace & Freedom ballot.

It might appear that Rocky De La Fuente is on both the Republican and Democratic ballots, but that is not the case. De La Fuente’s son is running in the Democratic ballot.

On December 6, the U.S. Supreme Court accepted Carney v Adams, 19-309. This is the case over the provision of the Delaware Constitution that says in most state courts, the only persons who can be appointed are members of a party that has at least 5% of the voter registration. In the entire history of Delaware voter registration by party, only the Republican and Democratic Parties have ever had as much as 5% of the registration. Thus only Democrats and Republicans are eligible to be appointed, and no independent may ever be appointed. The case had been brought by a registered independent attorney who would like to be appointed to a judgeship.

The Third Circuit had invalidated the law. The U.S. Supreme Court wants both sides to discuss whether the plaintiff had standing. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.