On August 23, U.S. District Court Judge Gershwin A. Drain ruled that Michigan must use a straight-ticket device in the November 2018 election. Earlier he had ruled that the 2016 law abolishing the device is void. The state is appealing, and while the appeal is pending, the state wanted to avoid using the device.
The state will probably now ask the Sixth Circuit for a stay.
On August 23, a Kansas administrative body decided that independent candidate Greg Orman’s petition is valid. The Democratic Party had argued that his petition was flawed. See this story.
Tony Quinn has this column at Fox & Hounds about the California U.S. House race, 50th district. Even though he has long been a strong supporter of the top-two system, he advocates that write-in space be restored to California November ballots for Congress and state office. Top-two supporters are responsible for the elimination of write-in space, which was done in 2012. Thanks to Scott Lay for the link.
Wyoming currently has closed primaries, but it permits voters to change parties on primary day, at the polls. Foster Friess, who lost the Republican gubernatorial primary on August 21, has suggested that the 2019 legislature change the law, so that party switchers would not be allowed within 21 days before the primary. He appears to believe that Democratic voters switched to being Republican on primary day, and voted against him. See this story.
UPDATE: also see this story.
Kentucky’s Attorney General recently ruled that polling place election officials may give a list of the declared write-in candidates to any voter who asks for the list. See this story. The ruling says making the list available is not “electioneering.” Thanks to Electionline for the link.
