On July 26, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed HB 4177, which removes party logos from general election ballots. A logo is a cartoon-like drawing representing a political party. For example, the Republican logo in Michigan is a drawing of the heads of Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan.

The motive for this bill is to make it easier for the state to win the pending lawsuit over whether the straight-ticket device should remain on general election ballots. The legislature had repealed the straight-ticket device early in 2016. But then some groups had filed a lawsuit to keep the straight-ticket device, and the U.S. District Court Judge issued an injunction, requiring the state to retain the straight-ticket device until the lawsuit is settled. That lawsuit is now undergoing discovery.

One of the arguments made by proponents of the straight-ticket device was that if the device were removed, some confused voters would draw a circle around one of the party logos, and these voters would think drawing such a circle would be casting a straight-ticket vote for all that party’s nominees. But, now that logos are gone, that argument disappears. Thanks to John Anthony LaPietra for the news.

U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, an Obama appointee, will hear De La Fuente v Padilla, c.d., 2:16cv-3242, on Monday, August 21, at 3 p.m., in Los Angeles. This is the case that challenges the California law requiring independent presidential candidates to submit almost 200,000 valid signatures. In 2016 the requirement had been 178,039, but since then California has taken steps to substantially increase the number of registered voters, and the petition requirement is keyed to the number of registered voters, so it will probably be 200,000 by the next presidential election.

On July 26, the California government cleared the way for proponents of independence for California to begin circulating their new initiative petition. If it gets on the ballot, the ballot would say, “California Autonomy from Federal Government. Repeals provision in California Constitution stating California is an inseparable part of the United States. Directs Governor, in consultation with those members of Congress who represent California, to negotiate continually greater autonomy from federal government, up to and including agreement establishing California as a fully independent country, provided voters agree to revise the California Constitution. Creates new state commission to research and make recommendations on ways of increasing California’s autonomy and independence.”

The initiative needs 585,407 valid signatures in the next six months.