Now that the American Independent Party has saved its spot on the California ballot as a result of Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of SB 696, it will have a presidential primary, as it always does. J. R. Myers, presidential nominee of the Life & Liberty Party, and Phil Collins, nominee of the Prohibition Party, have asked the American Independent Party to be listed on that party’s presidential primary ballot. That primary is March 3, 2020.
Las Cruces, New Mexico, is using ranked choice voting for its city election for the first time. See this story.
On the evening of October 9, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed SB 696, the bill to make it illegal for a party to have “independent” or “independence” as part of its name. Thanks to Mark Seidenberg for this news. See this Los Angeles Times news story. The Governor said the bill likely violates the First Amendment.
The story says that State Senator Tom Umberg, the bill’s author, says he will re-introduce the same bill next year.
UPDATE: here is the Veto Message. Thanks to Jim Riley for that link.
On October 8, the California Secretary of State finally filed a notice of appeal in Trump v Padilla, e.d., 2:19cv-1501. This is the lawsuit over the California law that requires presidential primary candidates to show their income tax returns.
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.
