New York Bill Depriving Independence Party of its Name Passes Assembly Committee

Posted on by February 5, 2019
7

On January 28, New York Assembly Bill 2600 passed the Assembly Election Law Committee by a vote of 10-5. All Democrats except one voted for the bill. All Republicans voted against it. It would provide that no party could have the words “Independence” or “Independent” in its name.

Democrats who voted for the bill are Charles Lavine, Sandy Galef, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Joseph Lentol, Barbara Lifton, Latrice Walker, Robert Carroll, Al Taylor, Jonathan Jacobson, and Anthony D’Urso. The Democrat who voted “no” is David Buchwald.

Republicans who voted against the bill are Michael Norris, Karl Brabenec, John Mikulin, and Chris Tague.

An identical bill in the Senate, S1628, has not yet moved.

It is somewhat likely that if this bill were signed into law, it would be held unconstitutional, under both First Amendment and Due Process grounds. The Independence Party has been a ballot-qualified party since November 1994.

Wyoming Bill to Prevent Voters from Changing Parties Two Months Before Primary

Posted on by February 5, 2019
Reply

Another Wyoming bill to prevent voters from switching parties during the two months before a primary is moving. SF 160 passed the Agriculture Committee on January 30. A very similar bill, SF 32, had been defeated last month in the Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions by one vote. So, proponents of the idea then introduced a new bill, SF 160, and sent it to a different committee.

A somewhat similar bill in the House is HF 106.

In other Wyoming legislative news, on January 29, SF 97 was defeated in the Senate Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. It would have provided that all qualified parties nominate by primary. Current law says small qualified parties nominate by convention, and larger ones by primary.

California Bill to Let Non-Charter Counties and Cities Use Ranked Choice Voting for Their Own Elections

Posted on by February 18, 2019
Reply

California State Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) has introduced SB 212. It would let non-charter counties, and non-charter cities, use ranked choice voting to elect their own officers. Currently only charter cities and charter counties can do that.

A similar bill was vetoed by former Governor Jerry Brown, but of course Brown is no longer Governor. Thanks to Dave Kadlecek for this news.