Jim Walden, independent candidate for Mayor of New York City who is trying to get his name taken off the November 2025 ballot has won temporary relief. Until his lawsuit is heard, the Board of Elections has been ordered not to print his name on the ballot. See this story.
On September 9, the Ninth Circuit reheard Moving Oxnard Forward v Lourdes Lopez, 21-56295. This is a lawsuit over whether the City of Oxnard contribution limits to city council candidates, $500, is so low as to be unconstitutional. The original Ninth Circuit panel had ruled against the limits. When the Ninth Circuit holds an en banc hearing, not all the Ninth Circuit judges participate, because there are so many judges, it isn’t practical. So eleven judges are chosen at random.
The rehearing last an hour. It is difficult to predict the outcome. Anyone can watch this video of the hearing.
The case is interesting to Libertarians because there is evidence that the city council imposed the limits to block Libertarian Party leader Aaron Starr from winning. But, after many tries, he did get elected to the Oxnard city council and he is currently on the council.
On September 10, Jim Walden, who had been an independent candidate for Mayor of New York City until September 5, sued the New York City Board of Elections to force them to remove his name from the ballot. Walden v New York City Board of Elections, New York County, State Supreme Court, 161895/2025. Walden argues that the election law does not bar the board from removing his name, because he withdrew before the ballot was to be certified. Certification of the ballot is on September 11.
Here is a Florida newspaper story about Sidney J. Catts, who was elected Governor of Florida in 1916. After he lost the Democratic primary, the Prohibition Party nominated him in convention, and he won the general election.
Back in 1916, Florida general election ballots did not have party labels on the ballot.
In this interview, Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-California) says his bill to ban mid-district redistricting for U.S. House seats is gaining support. Yet the bill still has no co-sponsors. The bill is HR 4889.
