Ten New Jersey legislators have introduced AB 1230. It says that no presidential candidate’s name shall be printed on the general election ballot unless the candidate has released his or her tax returns, by 50 days before the election. The bill also says no presidential elector may vote for anyone who hasn’t released such tax returns.
A similar bill passed in 2017, but it was vetoed by Governor Chris Christie, a Republican. He is no longer Governor so this bill is fairly likely to be enacted.
Alabama Representative Ronald Johnson (R-Sylacauga) has introduced HB 241. It would provide that a write-in candidate who wants his or her write-ins counted must file a declaration of candidacy at least five days before any election. Alabama has never had a procedure for a write-in candidate to file a declaration of candidacy. Most states already have such a law.
Alabama Representative Mike Ball (R-Madison) has introduced HB 214. It provides that in all partisan elections except president, all candidates would run in the primary and only the top two vote-getters could run in November. However, like two other similar bills in Alabama, it does not provide for equal procedures for candidates to get on a primary ballot. Republicans and Democrats would simply pay a fee and file with their own parties, but everyone else would need a petition of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote.
Because the primary is in March in presidential years, this would mean candidates who aren’t Republicans or Democrats would need to submit a petition of approximately 13,000 valid signatures by December of the year before the election. This would be unconstitutional under New Alliance Party of Alabama v Hand, 933 F 2d 1568 (11th circuit, 1991). That decision, which also concerned a petition of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, struck down a March petition deadline as too early, so obviously December of the year before the election would be even more unacceptable. Thanks to Shawn Griffiths for the news about HB 214.
The Florida Secretary of State’s office has determined that an initiative to restore voting rights to ex-felons has qualified for the November 2018 ballot. See this story. It needed 766,200 valid signatures, and will be on the ballot as Question Four. The proposal does not apply to persons who had been convicted of murder or certain violent sexual crimes.
The Oregon Senate Rules Committee has introduced SB 1512. It provides that Oregon will join the National Popular Vote Compact, if the voters approve the idea in November 2018. See this story.
