On May 10, state officials from Ohio and Michigan asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay recent decisions of 3-judge U.S. District Courts concerning redistricting.  Both of the lower court recent decisions ordered the state in question to redraw U.S. House districts in time for the 2020 election.

The applications for a stay are:  Michigan Senate v League of Women Voters of Michigan, 18A-1170; and Householder v Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute, 18A1165.

Both applications were addressed to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who will surely refer each to all members of the Court.

On May 10, the Texas House passed HB 2504.  It requires candidates nominated in convention to pay filing fees.  Currently only primary candidates pay filing fees, because Texas filing fees were always intended to help pay for the election administration costs of primaries.  The Libertarian Party is the only party on the ballot now that nominates by convention.  In the recent past, the Green Party did also.  The bill passed 77-57, with all Republicans who voted voting “yes”, and all Democrats except one who voted, voting “no.”

The bill also says that if a party polled at least 2% for any statewide race in any of the last five elections, it is ballot-qualified.  If this provision becomes law, the Green Party will be on the ballot in 2020, because in 2016 it polled over 2% for Railroad Commissioner and two statewide judicial races.  Thanks to Jim Riley for this news.

On May 10, Congressman Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts), chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, issued a subpoena to the IRS for copies of President Trump’s tax returns for the last six years.  This is pursuant to a 1924 law that says Congress may obtain any taxpayer’s tax return.

If the returns are obtained, that might decrease the chances that any state will pass a bill denying ballot access to candidates who don’t reveal their tax returns.  Thanks to Political Wire for this news.