U.S. District Court Judge David Norton, a Bush Sr. appointee, will hear Baten v McMaster, 2:18cv-510, on November 1 at 11:30 am in Charleston, South Carolina. This is one of the four federal case challenging state laws requiring presidential electors to be elected at-large. The other three cases are in Texas, California, and Massachusetts.
On October 30, the Spirit Lake Tribe of North Dakota filed a federal lawsuit, naming over 100 particular Native American residents of North Dakota who have found it impossible to obtain the type of voter ID that the state requires. Although the Eighth Circuit earlier this year refused to enjoin the North Dakota law requiring voters to present an ID that shows their address, the Eighth Circuit did say that if particular voters cannot comply, a new lawsuit is possible.
The new lawsuit is Spirit Lake Tribe v Jaeger, 1:18cv-222. Here is the Complaint. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
On October 29, the Boston Globe, the biggest newspaper in New England, endorsed Dan Fishman for Massachusetts Auditor. He is the Libertarian nominee. He is in a four-candidate race, with nominees from the Democratic, Republican and Green Party also running. Thanks to Independent Political Report for this news. Here is a link to the editorial.
Much publicity has been given to Dodge City, Kansas, over the location of its only polling place. In September, the Ford County Clerk moved it from the Civic Center, which is downtown, to an Exposition Center that is one mile beyond the city limits and 3.7 miles from the old location. Dodge City has many Hispanic residents.
On October 26, a federal lawsuit was filed by the ACLU, asking for an injunction requiring that a second polling place be opened, the new one to be inside Dodge City. Rangel-Lopez v Ford County, Kansas, Clerk. The case was originally assigned to U.S. District Court Judge John W. Lungstrum, a Bush Sr. appointee. But he recused himself, and now the case is assigned to Judge Daniel Crabtree, an Obama appointee.
The hearing will be November 1 in Topeka, at 9:30 a.m. The county wanted the hearing to be in Wichita, but its request was turned down. The county fiercely defends its decision; here is its brief. The county says it is providing free transportation for any voter from the voter’s home to the Expo Center, on election day. Thanks to Marilyn Brune for this news.
On October 30, the Connecticut Secretary of State released a tally of the number of registered voters in each party, and the number not in any party. The new totals: Democratic 789,062; Republican 461,712; Independent Party 26,691; Working Families 315; Libertarian 2,959; Green 1,761; Reform 14; Constitution 14; independent and miscellaneous 873,788.
The new percentages are: Democratic 36.59%; Republican 21.41%; Independent Party 1.24%; Working Families .01%; Libertarian .14%; Green .08%; independent and miscellaneous 40.52%.
The last tally was as of November 1, 2017. The percentages then were: Democratic 36.45%; Republican 21.43%; Independent Party 1.15%; Working Families .02%; Libertarian .14%; Green .09%; independent and miscellaneous 40.73%.
