Kamala Harris’ new book, 107 Days, is being released on September 23, 2025.  She will be on a book tour from September 24 through November 16.  Tickets are required.  She will be appearing in New York (Sep. 24), Philadelphia (Sep. 25), Los Angeles (Sep. 29), Houston (Oct. 4), San Francisco (Oct. 5), Atlanta (Oct. 8), Washington (Oct. 9), Chicago (Oct. 11), Durham (Oct. 15), Birmingham (Oct. 17), and Portland (Oregon, Nov. 5).

Participants in a normal book tour have a tiny window of time in which to interact with the author, perhaps 15 seconds.  It is possible to deliver a courteous, respectful message to the book author, as the author is signing the individual’s book, in most book tours.  Proponents of fair ballot access might attempt to show up at the book signing and urge Harris to support ballot access for minor party and independent candidates.

The venues in each city are:  New York The Town Hall; Philadelphia The Met Philadelphia; Los Angeles The Wiltern; Houston The Hobby Center; San Francisco The Masonic; Atlanta Tabernacle; Washington Warner Theater; Chicago Auditorium Theatre; Durham Performing Arts Center; Birmingham Alabama Theater; Portland (Oregon) Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

This article points out that candidates for New York City office who withdraw must repay part of their public funding.  Therefore, that provides a strong incentive for candidates not to withdraw.

On August 21, the Second Circuit explained why it had refused injunctive relief to Jim Walden.  He is an independent candidate for Mayor of New York City.  Election officials had refused to let him choose “Independence” as his ballot label.  State law says no party can have “Independence” or “Independent” as its name, or as part of its name.  UPDATE:  here is a Courthouse News Story about the decision.  The article is unusual; Courthouse News Service stories don’t generally reach out to the losing side in a decision to ask for a reaaction.

Walden had sued, but lost in U.S. District Court.  He had appealed, but on May 2, the Second Circuit agreed with the lower court and said he can’t use his preferred label.

At the time, the Second Circuit did not explain its reasoning, but said it would do so later.  Now, it has explained.  Here is the 49-page decision.  On page 45 it explains the state interest in denying the label “Independence.”  It says, “It could lead unaffiliated voters to mistakenly believe that this designation was intended to represent all unaffiliated/independent voters, rather than identify a specific political organization.”  This is a very paternalistic sentence.  Free speech is protected by the First Amendment, even though free speech often means that deceptive or confusing messages are allowed.

One could use the same reasoning to say that the state should outlaw any party from having “Democratic” in its name, because that might lead people to think that the Democratic Party was intended to represent all voters who believe in democracy.

The decision is by Judge Eunice C. Lee, a Biden appointee.  It is also signed by Judges Gerald E. Lynch and Alison Nathan, Obama appointees.