An initiative is about to start circulating in Oregon, for a nonpartisan redistricting commission. See this story. The Commission would be composed of four Democrats, four Republicans, and four individuals who were not a member of either of those parties.
In 2016, a Democratic candidate for Illinois State House sued Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, over Madigan’s action in recruiting two Hispanic-surnamed opponents to enter the race for the Democratic nomination for Madigan’s seat. The plaintiff, Jason Gonzales, was also running in the Democratic primary against Madigan. He presented evidence that incumbent Madigan had recruited the two other candidates in order to split the vote of people who wanted to vote for a Hispanic-surnamed candidate.
Under an old Seventh Circuit precedent, recruiting sham candidates in a primary to split the vote violates voting rights. Madigan won the current case in U.S. District Court in September 2019, but Gonzales then asked for reconsideration on September 20, 2019, and it is still pending. Judge Matthew Kennelly asked Madigan to respond to the rehearing request, and that response was received October 11, 2019.
On November 13, the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, refused to reconsider its October 11, 2019 decision in Trump v Mazars USA, 19-5142. The November 13 decision was made by all the full-time judges of the D.C. Circuit. One Republican appointee voted with all the Democratic appointees; otherwise the vote was party-line.
This is the case on whether the U.S. House Committee on Oversight may subpoena President Trump’s tax returns. It should not be confused with the 2nd circuit opinion that said a New York prosecutor can obtain the tax returns from one of President Trump’s accountants.
Both opinions will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Any candidate who hopes to be on the November 2020 ballot for Congress or state legislature (which are the only partisan offices on the 2020 ballot other than President) must file by December 6, 2019. This is because the California primary for all office is in March 2020, and the top-two system does not provide any method for a candidate to get on the November ballot except by placing first or second in the primary.
The December 6 deadline is extended a few days for offices in which the incumbent does not file for re-election.
On November 13, the Georgia Libertarian Party filed this reply brief in Cowen v Raffensperger, 19-14065, in the Eleventh Circuit. This is the case that challenges the Georgia ballot access law for U.S. House.
