On August 25, U.S. District Court Judge Maxine Chesney set a zoom status conference for Peace & Freedom Party v Weber, 3:24cv-8308. This is the lawsuit filed by several California minor parties against the top-two system. The status conference is on October 24, at 10:30 a.m. Anyone is free to watch from their own electronic device.
NOTUS has this story on independent candidates for congress and state office in 2026. It points out that there are probably going to be more strong independent candidates in 2026 than in the past. The story is free but readers must sign up to read it. It mentions U.S. Senate candidates in Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Dakota, and gubernatorial candidates in Michigan and California.
As already noted, on August 14, the Fifth Circuit agreed with a lower court that Louisiana’s legislative district boundaries violate the federal Voting Rights Act. Nairne v Landry, 24-30115. On August 15, the state asked for a stay.
On August 19, the groups that brought the lawsuit filed this brief, arguing against a stay. They mention that the next legislative elections in Louisiana are in 2027, and that if an indefinite stay is issued, chances of new districts being in place for the 2027 are threatened.
On Saturday, August 23, at about 12:30 a.m., the Texas Senate passed the redistricting bill, HB 4.
On August 16, the Service Employees International Union held a California gubernatorial debate in Sacramento. It was not broadcast, except internally to various SEIU meeting halls. Seven candidates participated, including Butch Ware, the Green Party candidate. The other participants were all Democrats: Toni Atkins, Xavier Becerra, Stephen Cloobeck, Katie Porter, Tony Thurmond, and Betty Yee.
The SEIU invited certain other candidates, but they declined. One of the candidates who declined is Steve Hilton, the Republican who is near the top of polls. Another who declined is Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa.
