Illinois Green Party Asks U.S. Supreme Court to hear Ballot Access Case

Posted on by February 11, 2018
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On February 7, the Illinois Green Party filed this cert petition in its ballot access case, Tripp v Scholz. The case concerns the ballot access procedures for state legislature, for unqualified party candidates and independent candidates. The lower courts had upheld the requirements, even though in 2016 not a single minor party for the legislature was able to get on the Illinois ballot. The only other states with no minor party legislative candidates on the ballot in 2016 were Georgia, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Tennessee.

Alabama Democratic State House Member Will be Independent Candidate for State Senate

Posted on by February 11, 2018
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On February 10, Alabama State House member Craig Ford (D-Gadsden) said he will be an independent candidate this year for State Senate, 10th district. See this story. He was minority leader in the House 2010-2017 and has described himself as a conservative Democrat.

The 10th District is one of the most competitive State Senate districts in Alabama. In 2014, the last time the seat was up, the vote was Republican 17,967; Democratic 16,530.

New Mexico Senate Passes Bill, Altering Nomination Process for Lieutenant Governor Candidates

Posted on by February 11, 2018
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On Saturday, February 10, the New Mexico State Senate passed SB 178, which changes the procedures by which parties choose Lieutenant Governor nominees. Currently Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected as a team in November. But in primary season, they are not teamed. The bill would end the ability of anyone to file in a party primary for Lieutenant Governor. Instead, after the primary, the gubernatorial nominee would choose a running mate. See this story.