The Maine Libertarian Party ballot access case now has a docket number. The case is Baines v Dumlap, 1:19cv-509, assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Lance E. Walker, a Trump appointee. Last year Judge Walker upheld Maine’s ranked choice voting law after the Maine Republican Party sued to overturn it.

Here is the Complaint. It challenges the January deadline to qualify a new party, and the number of signatures that members of new and small qualified parties need to place themselves on the primary ballot. The statewide petition for primary candidates is 2,000 signatures of party members, regardless of how many registered members the party has.

Eastpointe, Michigan, will use ranked choice voting for its city council election on November 5, 2019. This will be the first time it has been used to elect public officials in Michigan. See this story. Thanks to Rob Richie for the link.

On November 1, the Texas Democratic Party filed a lawsuit against the Texas law on order of candidates on the ballot. Texas Democratic Party v Hughs, w.d., 1:19cv-1071. It is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel, a Bush Jr. appointee. Here is the Complaint.

The Texas law says that the top names on the general election ballot are the nominees of the party that won the last gubernatorial election. Thus Republicans have been listed first for over 24 years.

The Complaint has the same footnote as in the Arizona Democratic Party lawsuit on the same issue. It says that if the party wins the lawsuit, the relief should not apply to minor parties or independent candidates, and quotes Timmons v Twin Cities Area New Party.