New York is unique in the nation in not letting voters switch parties during the year before a general election. This article in Gothamist sets forth the progress of activism to ameliorate the party-switching deadline.
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Before the Florida legislature adjourned, it amended the omnibus election law bill, SB 7066, to it more difficult for many ex-felons to register to vote. The amendment says they cannot register until they have paid all court costs, fines, and restitution. This article explains all the administrative problems that the amendment causes. Governor Ron DeSantis hasn’t signed the bill yet.
Just before adjourning, the Florida legislature passed an omnibus election law bill, SB 7066. It moves the non-presidential primary from ten weeks before the general election, to eleven weeks before. Therefore, assuming the Governor signs the bill, the 2020 primary will be August 18, not August 25.
The bill also alters the prohibited zone at the polls for persons engaging in First Amendment activity. The old law required petitioners, canvassers, and pamphleteers to stand at least 100 feet from the entrance to a polling place. The bill changes that to 150 feet. It is conceivable that this change could be held unconstitutional.
The bill also legalizes the practice of a voter photographing his or her own voted ballot.
The Florida legislature adjourned on Saturday, May 4. Just before adjourning, it passed HB 5, which had been amended to include all the restrictions on initiative petitioners that had been inside HB 7111. It passed the House 67-43, and passed the Senate 22-17.
It makes it illegal for initiative sponsors to pay circulators on a per-signature basis. It makes it a criminal offense for initiative circulators to fail to submit petitions later than 30 days after being signed. This legislative staff analysis includes the other restrictions.
On April 30, the Colorado legislature passed HB 19-1278, an omnibus election law bill. Among many other provisions, it makes independent candidate petition requirements (except for president) more severe. Most of the non-presidential statewide offices rise from 1,000 signatures to 7,000 signatures. State Board of Education and Regent statewide petitions rise from 1,000 to 3,500 signatures. U.S. House rises from 800 to 1,500. State Senate from 600 to 1,000. State House 400 to 1,000.
The bill does not affect the requirements for creating a new ballot-qualified party, except to move the deadline for a group to show that it has the needed 1,000 registered members from July 1 to April 1.
Many groups tried to stop the ballot access requirements from rising, but the only relief was that an earlier version of the bill set most of the statewide petitions at 10,500, but that was lowered to 7,000. However the bill still has a very difficult U.S. House district distribution requirement. Statewide petitions need 1,000 from each of the U.S. House districts. Furthermore, if Colorado gains a U.S. House seat after the 2020 census, the statewide requirement automatically rises to 8,000.
Although the bill technically makes the independent presidential petition requirement more difficult, that is a meaningless change, because it will still be possible for independent presidential candidates to get on the ballot without any petition, by paying $1,000.