Tom Steyer Favors Creating a National Referendum Process

Posted on by July 11, 2019
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Tom Steyer, who announced a few days ago that he is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, says in this campaign you tube that he favors creating a “national referendum” process so that voters could determine federal laws.

Generally, a referendum refers to forcing a popular vote on a newly-passed law. One wonders if Steyer meant to also advocate for a national initiative process. Congress does so little these days, it isn’t likely that a national referendum, even if it existed, would be much of a vehicle for change.

A federal referendum process, or a federal initiative process, would require a U.S. Constitutional amendment. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.

U.S. District Court Upholds Maryland Ballot Access Law

Posted on by July 11, 2019
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On July 11, U.S. District Court Judge Catherine C. Blake upheld the Maryland ballot access law that requires all parties that fail to poll 1% for the office at the top of the ballot to submit 10,000 signatures in order to get back on the ballot. Johnston v Lamone, 1:18cv-3988.

The Libertarian Party had filed this case after it failed to get 1% for Governor in November 2018. The party argued that because it has over 22,000 registered members, it is obvious that it has the support of at least 10,000 voters. Therefore, it argued that requiring it to submit such a petition is meaningless. But the Judge said that it may be that the people who registered Libertarian no longer support the party, and they may be maintaining their Libertarian registration because of inertia. This part of the decision is not surprising, because she had denied injunctive relief several months ago for the same reason.

She did not rule on the other point in the lawsuit, that the law irrationally requires petition signatures to exactly match that voter’s name on the voter registration form, including middle initials versus the full middle name; or differences such as “Robert” in one place and “Bob” in another. She said that issue is not ripe, until the party does its new petition.

California Legislature Passes Presidential Tax Returns Bill

Posted on by July 11, 2019
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On July 11, the California legislature passed SB 27, the bill to require presidential primary candidates to reveal the last five years of their income tax returns if they want to be on the presidential primary ballot. It now goes to Governor Gavin Newsom. No Republican voted for it in any legislative vote in either chamber, and no Democrat ever voted against it.

The bill does not bar anyone from filing as a write-in in a presidential primary.

Texas Ballot Access Case Filed

Posted on by July 11, 2019
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On July 11, several minor parties filed a lawsuit against the Texas ballot access laws that pertain to minor parties and independent candidates. Miller v Doe, s.d., 1:19cv-700. The case concerns the new hurdles imposed on minor parties by the 2019 session of the legislature (filing fees for parties that nominate by convention), but also on the old hurdles that have existed for decades in Texas. UPDATE: here is a news story about the lawsuit, based on a press release issued by the plaintiffs.

The parties that are challenging the filing fee are the Libertarian and Green Parties. The parties that are challenging the ballot access petition are the Constitution Party and America’s Party of Texas. The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman, an Obama appointee.