On April 25, both houses of the Iowa legislature passed HF 692 unanimously.  It is an omnibus election law bill.  It does not increase the number of signatures for independent candidates, or the nominees of unqualified parties.  But it does move the petition deadline, for all office except president, to mid-March.  The Iowa primary is in June, so the deadline change, if signed into law, would almost surely be held unconstitutional.  The U.S. Supreme Court has said the whole purpose of having procedures for independent candidates is to let voters find someone new to vote for, it the two major party nominees are displeasing to a significant segment of the voters.  This applies to all office, not just president.

Earlier this month there had been attempts to increase the number of signatures for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties, but the Libertarian and Green Parties and the Iowa ACLU helped persuade legislators to abandon this idea.

On April 25, the Texas House Elections Committee passed HB 4416, by 6-3.  It makes it more difficult for a party to remain on the ballot.  Existing law says a party remains on if it polls at least 5% for any statewide race, or 2% for Governor.  The bill changes the 5% to 10%.

An earlier post said this bill had been defeated in committee, because it had been marked “left in committee.”  However, it was revived.

On April 23, conference committees in both houses of the Hawaii legislature re-wrote and accepted HB 1248.  It is now likely that the amended bill will pass both Houses.  It provides that every registered voter would receive a ballot in the postal mail.  There would still be vote centers for people who don’t have the ability to receive postal mail.