On Nebraska 15, Nebraska held a primary. In the 32nd State Senate district, the results so far are: Tom Brandt 3,495; Laura Ebke 2,603; Al Riskowski 1,772. The election is technically non-partisan, but the voters were generally aware that Ebke is a Libertarian and her two opponents are Republicans. No one got as much as 50%. The race will be between Brandt and Ebke on November 6.
On May 7, the plaintiffs filed this 40-page brief in League of United Latin American Citizens v Abbott, w.d. Texas, 5:18cv-175. This sets forth why the plaintiffs believe that the winner-take-all system for choosing presidential electors in 48 states violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
There are similar cases pending in three other states. It just happens that the Texas case is the first one in which the plaintiffs have set forth their legal argument. All four cases have the same high-powered law firms working for the plaintiffs.
On Thursday, May 10, San Jose State University student government hosted a gubernatorial debate for California. It included Delaine Eastin, considered one of the major Democratic candidates, along with gubernatorial candidates who are members of the Green, Libertarian, and Peace & Freedom Parties. Watch it at this link.
California is appealing the decision of a Superior Court that struck down California’s law on matching signatures on voter registration forma and mailed absentee ballots. The decision said that when election officials reject a mailed absentee ballot because the signature doesn’t appear to match that voter’s signatures on voter registration forms, the voter must be informed and given a chance to show that he or she did cast that absentee ballot.
The state also wants the decision stayed, while it appeals. See this story, which reveals that Florida, Illinois, and New Hampshire laws are similar to California’s. Thanks to Politico for the link.
The Eleventh Circuit will hold oral argument the last week of September in Wilding v Democratic National Committee, 17-14194. This is the lawsuit filed in 2016 by individuals who supported Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination and who had contributed money to the national party. They argue that the national party did not follow its own rules about neutrality in the presidential nomination contest.
