On April 15, former Massachusetts Governor William Weld formally declared himself a candidate for the Republican 2020 presidential nomination. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news.
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Colorado Representative Susan Lontine (D-Denver) and Senator Stephen Fenberg (D-Boulder) have introduced HB 19-1278. It amends many election laws. It makes it more difficult for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, to get on the ballot (except for President). It raises the U.S. House petition from 800 to 1,500. It raises the State Senate petition from 600 to 1,000. It raises the State House petition from 400 to 1,000. It raises the petition for Governor and U.S. Senator from 1,000 to 10,500, with a congressional district distribution requirement of 1,500 per district. If Colorado gains a House seat after the 2020 census, the requirement would automatically go to 12,000.
The bill has been attacked in print by Angela Myers, Larimer County Clerk & Recorder, for some of its non-related provisions. See this op-ed. Thanks to John Palmer for this news.
On April 5, Idaho Governor Brad Little, a Republican, vetoed SB 1159. This is the bill that made it more difficult for statewide initiatives to get on the ballot. Among other things, it increased the petition from 6% of the registered voters, to 10%. Here is his veto message. It is a rather strange veto message.
On April 10, attorneys for the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters filed this Answer to the Complaint, in Soltysik v Padilla, c.d., 2:15cv-7916. On April 9, attorneys for the Californoia Secretary of State filed this Answer.
Soltysik v Padilla is the case that challenges the California law that permits some candidates, but not all candidates, to have a partisan label on the ballot next to their names.
The case was revived by the Ninth Circuit earlier this year, so now it is proceeding in U.S. District Court. Both the state answer, and the Los Angeles County answer, claim that the plaintiff, Emidio Soltysik, lacks standing. He was and is a registered Socialist. He ran for the legislature in 2014. He was forced to have “party preference: none” on the ballot next to his name.
City and State is a weekly print publication published in New York city. It has this analysis of all efforts underway, by various governments, to see President Trump’s tax returns. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link. In the article, Hasen expresses uncertainty about the constitutionality of using ballot access laws for the purpose of forcing the President to reveal his tax returns.