On March 21, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed HB 4002. It abolishes multi-member House of Delegates districts, starting with the redistricting that will take place after the 2020 census. Under the current districts, there are 20 districts that elect multiple members, including one district that elects five.

On March 22, he signed HB 4434. It bans members of qualified parties from petitioning as independent candidates. It would not apply to presidential or vice-presidential candidates unless they lived in West Virginia.

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.

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.