On February 13, the North Carolina legislature passed HB 90, which says the Governor may appoint all nine members of the State Election Board. He must appoint four Democrats, four Republicans, and one person who is neither. The old law on composition of the State Board was struck down by the State Supreme Court late last year. That law provided for an eight-member board, four Democrats and four Republicans.
The New Mexico legislature adjourned at noon on Thursday, February 15. The House Joint Memorial to set up a committee to study election law reform issues failed to pass. It had passed the House unanimously and the Senate Committee unanimously, but then it ran out of time.
However, the Secretary of State will probably set up the study group anyway. The bill had said the study group would study ballot access, non-partisan redistricting, ranked choice voting, proportional representation, automatic voter registration, public financing, and primary systems.
On February 14, South Dakota HB 1259 was withdrawn by its sponsors. It would have changed nomination procedures for South Dakota statewide state elective positions other than Governor. Current law says all qualified parties, large and small alike, choose nominees for the executive statewide posts (other than Governor) in conventions in the summer. The bill would have said they should all be nominated by primary. Thanks to Lori Stacey for this news.
The New York Times has this article, describing how California’s top-two system has not changed California politics very much since it was put into effect, but showing how it is worrying Democrats in certain U.S. House races in 2018.
The paper says some variant of the system is in effect in four states. This is not accurate. Proponents of top-two constantly say that their system exists in Nebraska and Louisiana. But Louisiana abolished primaries (except presidential primaries) and simply has a general election in November in which no candidate is barred from the ballot. Nebraska has closed primaries for state executive office and county partisan office; semi-closed primaries for federal office; and a non-partisan system for the legislature. None of Nebraska’s characteristics matches a top-two system, which includes party labels on the ballot but abolishes party nominees.
Craig O’Dear has declared his independent candidacy for U.S. Senate in Missouri. See this story. He is backed by the Centrist Project. He will need 10,000 signatures, due by July 30. Missouri has not had an independent on the ballot for U.S. Senate in many years. Thanks to Ken Bush for the link.
