Soudth Carolina permits fusion, although it isn’t used very much, because if a candidate seeks the nomination of two parties, and he or she loses either nomination, then that candidate can’t have the other party’s nomination either.

Despite this damper on the use of fusion, there are some instances in 2018 in which a minor party cross-nominated a Democrat. The Working Families Party’s nominees this year are all Democratic Party nominees as well. They are for Treasurer, Attorney General, and 10 state house seats, in districts 45, 49, 69, 81, 85, 106, 110, 112, 115, and 116.

The American Party, which holds itself out as centrist, nominated two Democratic nominees, for State House in districts 75 and 106. The American Party also has its own nominees for Treasurer, three U.S. House seats (districts 2, 3, and 4), and State House (districts 6 and 49).

On September 10, the Libertarian National Committee filed this brief in Libertarian National Committee v Federal Election Commission, 18-5227. This is the case over whether it is constitutional to forbid political parties from receiving large bequests as soon as the deceased person’s estate is settled.

Also on September 10, the FEC asked the D.C. Circuit to dismiss the case on the grounds that the plaintiffs do not have standing. And, also on the same day, the Institute for Free Speech received permission to file an amicus curiae on the side of the Libertarian Party. The hearing is set for November 30.

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.