On February 23, the South Dakota House passed HB 1286, in an amended version that is very different from the original bill. It lowers the petition to create a new party from 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1% of the last gubernatorial vote. It says the petition is due on July 1 (existing law says the deadline is July 1 for a party that wants to run for certain offices, but late March if it wants to run for all offices). For 2018, 1% would be 2,775 signatures.

The bill says parties with registration under 2.5% of the state total would not nominate by primary. Instead, each candidate of a small qualified party (except the lesser statewide executive positions) must submit his or her own candidate petition, by July 1. If only one candidate from a particular party for a particular office submits a petition, that person is deemed to be that party’s nominee. If two candidates from the same party for the same office submit a petition, then the party state central committee chooses one of them. These minor party statewide candidate petitions are 1% of that party’s last vote for Governor and can only be signed by party members. If the party didn’t have a candidate for Governor at the last election, 250 signatures are required for statewide office, and only party members can sign. Alternatively, if the candidate doesn’t submit that type of petition, he or she can also submit a petition of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote in the state, and for that type of petition, any registered voter may sign.

The bill also improves the independent candidate deadline, moving it from April to July 1. UPDATE: see this Argus Leader newspaper story.

On February 21, Florida state officials filed this brief in Hand v Scott, n.d., 4:17cv-128. The U.S. District Court had ruled on February 1 that the state’s process by which an ex-felon may ask the Governor to restore his or her voting rights is hopelessly arbitrary. The state says that, even given this order, the court cannot order general relief to ex-felons, but must only consider relief for the particular plaintiffs who filed the case.

Before the New Mexico legislature adjourned for the year, it passed SB 178. Governor Susana Martinez has until March 7 to act on the bill. It eliminates party primaries for Lieutenant Governor. Instead, after the June primaries, gubernatorial nominees would choose someone to run with them in November for Lieutenant Governor. The vote in the House was very close, 34-32.