On August 9, a poll sponsored by the Doug Wilder School of Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University was released. It shows: Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine 49%; Republican Corey Stewart 26%; Libertarian Matt Waters 5%; undecided 20%. See this story. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.
On August 8, the Republican Party notified the District of Columbia Board of Elections that it has nominated for some districtwide offices. The party didn’t nominate anyone for districtwide office in its June 2018 primary, but the District permits qualified parties to make nominations by party meeting after the primary is over.
The Republican nominees are Nelson Rimensnyder for Delegate to the U.S. House, and Ralph Chittams for At-Large Member of the City Council.
The party did not nominate anyone for Mayor or Chair of the City Council.
As of the close of business on Wednesday, August 8, the Washington state election returns from the August 7 primary show that two Democrats will be the only candidates for U.S. House in the Second District.
Although twice before, no Republican has appeared in the general election ballot in the Seventh District (Seattle), the Second District is somewhat more Republican than the Seventh District. It includes Everett and Bellingham, to the north of Seattle.
The tally is very close and this won’t be certain until all the votes are counted.
On August 7, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Totenberg asked both sides to submit new briefs in Curling v Kemp, n.d., 1:17cv-2989. This is the case on whether the Georgia vote-counting machines, which leave no paper trail, should be prohibited in favor of a system that does leave a paper trail.
The judge asks both sides to submit new briefs on whether it is practical for the proposed switch to be made in time for the November 2018 election.
Here is the 3-page order. The briefs are due August 14, with any reply briefs due August 20.
The Michigan U.S. House seat, 13th district, has been vacant all year, ever since John Conyers resigned in the middle of his term. Michigan election officials refused to call a special election early in 2018, saying it was cheaper to wait until the August 7 primary to let parties nominate for the remainder of the term, and then to let the November 2018 election fill that short term. At that point the term would be less than three months long.
Brenda Jones, a candidate for the short term seat, and also the full term 2019-2020, had the bad luck to win the Democratic primary for the short term, but to lose the primary for the 2019-2020 full term. She is now President of the Detroit City Council. According to this story, she is unlikely to want to give up her service on the city council, just so she can be a member of Congress for the short period November 2018-January 2019. But she can’t do much about it. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
