On December 11, the Arizona Republican Party and the Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit in Arizona state court against the Secretary of State. The lawsuit argues that the Secretary of State did not have the authority to let No Labels change its name. See this story. The case is Republican National Committee v Fontes, Superior Court, Maricopa County, cv2025-065841.
Thanks to Teri Ann Hourihan for the link.
On December 16, the Washington, D.C. city council defeated a bill to postpone using ranked choice voting for a year. Voters voted for RCV in 2024, but some council members thought the Board of Elections isn’t ready to handle it. The bill was defeated 5-8, so the city will proceed to get ready for RCV. Its first use will be in partisan primaries in June 2026. It will also be used in November 2026.
RCV will probably make it easier for minor party candidates for citywide partisan office to poll 7,500 votes. New parties become ballot-qualified in D.C. if they have a nominee for any citywide city office, or Delegate to the U.S. House, who polls 7,500 votes.
On December 17, Drew Robinson, the incumbent sheriff of Martin County, North Carolina, said he will run next year as an independent candidate. He has never before run for Sheriff; he is the incumbent because he was appointed in January 2025.
Martin County is in eastern North Carolina. In November 2024, its vote for president for the major parties was: Republican 54.8%; Democratic 44.5%.
Robinson will need to gather signatures equal to 4% of the number of registered voters as of January 2026. His petition is due in May 2026.
Missouri is trying to persuade a U.S. District Court to sanction the attorneys for the group that is opposed to redistricting. The state claims the attorneys for the anti-redistricting group conceded at oral argument that the law is not suspended just because the signatures were submitted. The state claims that afterwards, the attorneys told the media the opposite.
On December 16, the attorneys for the anti-redistricting petition submitted this brief in their own defense. Missouri General Assembly v Glahn, e.d., 4:25cv-1535.
On December 17, four Republican members of the U.S. House broke with their own party and signed the discharge petition so that the House can vote on extending Obamacare premium subsidies. See this story. The four include three Pennsylvanians and one New Yorker. They are Brian Fitzpatrick, Rob Bresnahan, Ryan Mackenzie, and Mike Lawler.
All four congressmembers are from states with closed primaries.
Over and over, opponents of closed primaries preach that closed primaries produce extremist politicians.
