California is the only state that prints the occupation of each candidate on the ballot for all partisan office except President. On August 30, Congressman Jeff Denham won a lawsuit that argued his label of “farmer” is not true and should not be on the ballot next to his name. But the basis for his court victory was that the people who brought the lawsuit were not able to hand-deliver notification to him that he was being sued. The people who brought the lawsuit say he deliberately evaded the process server, both in Washington, D.C., and in his home district. See this story.

On August 30, U.S. District Court Victoria Roberts refused to stay her own opinion in Graveline v Johnson, 2:18cv-12354. On August 27, the judge had put independent candidate Chris Graveline on the ballot for Attorney General as an independent, provided he has at least 5,000 valid signatures on his petition. He submitted over 14,000, so it is likely he does have at least 5,000 valid.

The state wanted a stay because it said it will have difficulty checking the petition. The state has also filed a notice to the Sixth Circuit, to reverse the U.S. District Court. In the Sixth Circuit, the case is number 18-1992.

On August 30, a broad coalition of New Mexico groups and voters asked the New Mexico Supreme Court to restrain the Secretary of State from imposing a straight-ticket device on the November 2018 ballots. Unite New Mexico v Toulouse Olive, S-1-SC-37227. The plaintiffs include the Democratic nominee for House District 46, who is a declared write-in. Other plaintiffs are Unite New Mexico, which advocates on behalf of independent candidates and voters; the Republican Party; the Libertarian Party; and a PAC, Elect Liberty.

Here is the 20-page petition. Thanks to Bob Perls for the link.