Jury Trial Set for Lawsuit Against Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, on Whether He Recruited Sham Candidates in 2016 Primary

Posted on by March 28, 2019
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On March 27, a U.S. District Court set a date for a jury trial in Gonzales v Madigan, n.d. 1:16cv-7915. This is a lawsuit filed in 2016 around the Illinois Democratic primary for Representative, 22nd district, in Chicago. Speaker Michael Madigan represents that district. In 2016 Jason Gonzales filed to run against Madigan. Madigan then allegedly recruited two other candidates with Hispanic surnames to file in that primary. Madigan won that primary against his three opponents.

In the Seventh Circuit, there was a precedent that recruiting sham candidates violates the U.S. Constitution. Gonzales filed a lawsuit to invalidate the primary. It is now a very old case, but it is moving forward.

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.