This Politico article says Democrats may intervene in 2018 Republican primaries in certain states, and work to have the Republicans nominate the candidates who are less likely to win the general election. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link.
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As already noted, on October 5 the North Carolina legislature passed the ballot access bill, SB 656. There is a danger that Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, will veto it. There is a provision in the bill, unrelated to ballot access, that cancels the 2018 primaries for state judicial elections, and Democrats are opposed to this.
Ballot access reform bills have been proposed in North Carolina for 31 years, and this is the first time one has passed the legislature. North Carolina requires a higher percentage of signatures to get a minor party or independent presidential candidate on the ballot (using the easiest method) than any other state. The current law required 89,366 signatures in 2016, and will require 94,221 in 2020 if the law remains unchanged. The law requires 2% of the last gubernatorial vote. Because North Carolina elects its governors in presidential years, 2% of the vote total in a high-turnout presidential year is significantly worse than the other 2% states (Indiana and Wyoming) because in presidential years their 2% is based on the midterm turnout.
Here is the form by which anyone may send a message to Governor Cooper. If you would rather send him a postal letter, the address is 20301 Mail Service Center, Raleigh NC 27699-0301.
Important presidential candidates who have been kept off the North Carolina presidential ballot include Eugene McCarthy in 1976, Ron Paul in 1988, Ralph Nader in all the years he ran, all of the Green Party presidential nominees, all of the Constitution Party nominees, and Evan McMullin in 2016. The right to vote includes the right of choice for whom to vote.
On October 5, Pennsylvania U.S. House member Tim Murphy, a Republican representing the 18th district, said he will resign from the U.S. House effective October 21. This means a special election is likely, probably in December 2017 or January 2018. In Pennsylvania, in special elections, qualified parties choose their nominees by convention.
The Libertarian Party and the Green Party have limited status as qualified parties in Pennsylvania. Although they must petition for their nominees in regular elections, they don’t need any petition in special elections. The 18th district is in southwest Pennsylvania. Ever since the district was created in 2011, there have been no minor party or independent candidates in that district.
On October 5, the North Carolina House passed SB 656, the bill that improves ballot access. The vote was 70-44. Unfortunately the conference committee yesterday added an unrelated provision to the bill that affects judicial elections, and Democrats are opposed to that amendment. That is why there were so many “no” votes. UPDATE: also on October 5, the Senate passed the bill, 30-16.
The voters of Santa Fe, New Mexico, passed a ballot measure in 2008 saying the city should use ranked choice voting in city elections. The city still hasn’t implemented it. The supporters of ranked choice voting sued the city in the State Supreme Court last month, but that court refused to hear the case.
In response, the supporters of RCV have refiled their case in lower state court. The lower state court must hear the case. See this story. Thanks to Electionline for the link.