California State Senator Tom Umberg, chair of the Senate Elections Committee, is about to amend one of his bills to make it illegal for any party to have the word “Independent” in its name.  The deadline for introducing new bills in California has passed, so Umberg will amend SB 696 to include that idea.  See this story.

The American Independent Party, which has been ballot-qualified continuously starting in 1968, would be given the opportunity to choose a new name.

In the past, California also had the Independent Progressive Party on the ballot 1948-1954, and the Independence Party 1906-1910.  The bill’s wording is not yet available publicly, but presumably it won’t ban “Independence”, and conceivably, if the bill passes and is not invalidated in court, the AIP could change its name to “American Independence”.

On June 19, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger chose March 24 as the date for the 2020 presidential primaries.  Georgia law lets the Secretary of State choose the date.  The choice means that Georgia is the only state with a primary on that date, so that will give the state’s primary added attention.  Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news.

On June 20, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed HB 563.  It moves the 2020 presidential primaries from the first Saturday in March, to the first Saturday in April, which will be April 4.  Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news.