In November 2018, 61% of Georgia’s legislative races have only one candidate on the ballot. There are 56 State Senate seats and 180 State House seats. From those 236 races, Democrats aren’t running anyone in 77 races, and Republicans aren’t running anyone in 67 races, for a total of 144 seats without a Democratic-Republican contest.

One independent candidate is on the ballot for State House, in a race that otherwise would have only one candidate on the ballot, so there are 143 races with only one candidate. That one independent is Nancy Stead in the 29th district.

No minor party candidates are on the ballot. The Libertarian Party nominated three state legislative candidates but none of them were able to get the required 5% petitions (approximately 1,200 signatures).

Fortunately, there is a lawsuit pending against the 5% petition requirement for U.S. House candidates, and if it wins, any improvement for U.S. House will probably also have a ripple effect for legislative races. The case, Cowen v Kemp, is pending in U.S. District Court. Discovery is underway. The decision will probably come in 2019.

On September 10, the Eighth Circuit agreed with a U.S. District Court, that Missouri cannot make it illegal for one PAC to contribute to another PAC. Free & Fair Election Fund v Missouri Ethics Commission, 17-2239. Here is the 10-page opinion.

The opinion is by Judge Steven Colloton, a Bush Jr. appointee. It is signed by Judge Bobby Shepherd, another Bush Jr. appointee, and Judge David Stras, a Trump appointee. Thanks to Ken Bush for the news.

The Working Class Party has been ballot-qualified in Michigan starting in 2016. In 2016 it had only three candidates, two for U.S. House and one for State Board of Education. In 2018 it has five U.S. House candidates, four State Senate candidates, and two for the State Board of Education.