California Governor Signs Some Election Law Bills, but Releases No Information on the Most Interesting Election Bills

Posted on by October 9, 2019
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On October 8, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed 17 bills relating to election law. See his press release.

However, the press release has no information about SB 212, which lets non-charter cities and counties use ranked choice voting for their own officers. Currently only charter cities and counties may do that.

The press release has no information about AB 681, which lets voters easily change their party as late as primary election day and says that all voters must be sent a notice before any primary telling them how they are registered. However, the Governor did sign SB 72, which lets voters change their registration on primary day.

The press release has no information about SB 696, which forces the American Independent Party to change its name by October 29, or else be removed from the ballot and lose all its registrants.

California Governor Vetoes Bill to Make Ballot Access for Initiatives More Difficult

Posted on by October 8, 2019
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On October 7, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 1451, which would have made it illegal to pay circulators on a per-signature basis. It also would have required that at least 10% of the valid signatures be collected by unpaid individuals. See the veto message here. Former Governors Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger had also vetoed bills to ban paying per-signature. However, no Democrat in either house of the legislature had voted against AB 1451.

Candidates for Kentucky Secretary of State Comment on Letting Independents Vote in Partisan Primaries

Posted on by October 8, 2019
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On October 7, the Democratic and Republican candidates for Kentucky Secretary of State spoke and were asked their opinion about a semi-closed primary. The Republican nominee, Michael Adams, said he favors Kentucky’s closed primary, but also he favors letting each party decide that for itself. The Democratic nominee, Heather French Henry, said the issue needs research. See this story.

Henry and Adams are the only candidates for Secretary of State of Kentucky this year. Although the Libertarian Party is on the ballot and has three statewide nominees, it doesn’t have a candidate for Secretary of State. The election is November 5, 2019. Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi are the only states with gubernatorial elections this year.

Delaware Independent Opposing the Law that Only Democrats and Republicans Can be Judges Files His Brief

Posted on by October 7, 2019
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James R. Adams, the Delaware independent voter who challenged the law that only Republicans and Democrats may be appointed to most of the state courts has filed his brief in the U.S. Supreme Court. He urges the Court not to take the case. Carney v Adams, 19-309. Adams won the case in the Third Circuit. Here is his brief.

Washington State “Faithless Electors” File Cert Petition

Posted on by October 9, 2019
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On October 7, the Washington state presidential electors who were fined because they voted for someone other than Hillary Clinton filed their cert petition in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court hasn’t assigned a case number yet. It is Chiafalo v Washington. The State Supreme Court had voted 6-1 that the state was correct to fine each of them $1,000. Here is the filing. It wasn’t due until October 20, but the attorneys finished their product early.

UPDATE: the case is 19-465. The state’s response is due November 8.