Last week a Wisconsin state trial court ruled that Governor Scott Walker must schedule two special legislative elections soon. The two seats have been vacant since December 2017. On March 23, Republican leaders of the legislature said they will call the legislature back into session so as to revise the law concerning special elections, so as to avoid having such special elections. See this story.
The Raleigh News and Observer, the daily newspaper for North Carolina’s capital, has this commentary by Susan Hogarth, chair of the state Libertarian Party. It congratulates the Governor for having appointed the first member of the State Board of Elections in history who is neither a Republican nor a Democrat. But is says that more reform of the make-up of the board is needed.
On March 23, South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard signed HB 1286. It permits qualified parties that have registration under 2.5% of the state total to nominate all their candidates in conventions in the summer. It also reduces the petition requirement for newly-qualifying parties from 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1%. And it moves the deadline for such a petition from March to July.
This bill represents the most significant improvement in any state’s ballot access laws since 2017, when North Carolina made a huge improvement. Thanks to Aaron Aylward for the news of the bill’s signing.
Last month a U.S. District Court invalidated a Washington state law that requires independent and minor party presidential candidates to run a notice in newspapers at least a week before beginning to petition. The newspaper notices must say where the petitioning will be carried out.
The state has filed a notice of appeal to the Ninth Circuit. De La Fuente v Wyman, 18-35208.
The Michigan U.S. House seat, 13th district, has been vacant since December 2017, when Congressman John Conyers resigned. A federal lawsuit is underway over whether the Constitution requires a special election before November 6, 2018. The final round of briefs has just been filed. Here is the eight-page brief from the state government. It says the voters of the 13th district would be harmed if a special election were held earlier than November.
