California Bill on Who Can Get on Presidential Primary Ballots is Amended to Make the Debates Option More Difficult

Posted on by March 28, 2019
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California State Senator Tom Umberg has amended his SB 505, the bill to set detailed guidelines on who can get on a presidential primary ballot. The “debates participation” option is now more stringent. Originally the bill just said a candidate must participate in a “national debate”. Now it says only debates sponsored by ballot-qualified parties count, and the debate must be available for viewing in at least two states. However it does not say the debate must be broadcast, so it could be a You Tube. Here is the amended copy of the bill.

Utah Government Wants to Settle Lawsuit Over Ballot Labels for Independent Candidates

Posted on by March 27, 2019
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Attorneys for the Utah elections office have indicated they want to put a freeze on the lawsuit Holland v Cox, 4:18cv-74. This is the case that challenges the 2016 Utah law that says independent candidates must have this label on the ballot: “This candidate is not affiliated with, or does not qualify to be listed on the ballot as affiliated with a political party.” The purpose of freezing the lawsuit would be to allow the legislature a chance to repeal the law when it convenes early next year.

The lawsuit had been filed in 2018 by the state’s only independent candidate for any federal or state office, Marsha Holland. She learned that many voters, on seeing the label on the ballot next to her name, felt the ballot was saying that she was not qualified.

California Special Elections for State Senate in Two Districts

Posted on by March 27, 2019
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On March 26, California held special elections for State Senate in the First and Thirty-Third districts. Here is a link to the election returns. In the first district, no one got a majority and the runoff will be between two Republicans. In the 33rd district, no one got a majority and there will be a runoff between a Democrat and a Republican. Also in the 33rd district, where there were twelve candidates, a Green Party member, Cesar Flores, got 1.5%.

Constitution Party of Michigan Asks Secretary of State to Let it Update its Name

Posted on by March 27, 2019
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In September 1999, the national convention of the U.S. Taxpayers Party changed its name to the Constitution Party. Every state affiliate then asked its state election officials to recognize its new name, except that the Nevada and California affiliates preferred to keep their old name.

All states then let the party change its name, except for Michigan, where the Secretary of State refused. On March 23, the Michigan affiliate again asked the Secretary of State to update its name to the Constitution Party.

Other states that have let qualified parties change their name (even though they have no law on that subject) include Alabama in 1979, Alaska in 1972, Hawaii in 1978, Idaho in 2000, Kansas in 1972, Massachusetts in 1991, Missouri in 2000, New Mexico in 1979, Oregon in 1996, Pennsylvania in 1993, South Carolina in 2000.

A few states have laws on this subject, permitting name changes: Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, and Wisconsin (New Mexico didn’t have such a law when it permitted a name change in 1979).