Politico has this story, with an interview, about David French. He was the National Review writer who was the choice of William Kristol to enter the 2016 presidential race as a conservative independent alternative to the Republican nominee, Donald Trump.
The story does not mention Evan McMullin, who did enter the race on August 10, 2016.
The Utah state elections office has this registration tally as of July 18, 2017. The percentages: Republican 48.30%; Democratic 11.62%; Independent American 1.71%; Libertarian .85%; Constitution .35%; United Utah .003% (40 registered members); independent and other 37.17%.
Just prior to the November 2016 election, the percentages were: Republican 48.40%; Democratic 11.39%; Independent American 1.41%; Libertarian .81%; Constitution .33%; independent and other 37.66%.
These figures are for active voters. A handful of states also keep track of inactive voters, but traditionally B.A.N. doesn’t use those figures.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch has this editorial, deploring the decision of the Virginia Bar Association to sponsor a gubernatorial debate and to only invite the Democratic and Republican nominees. Apparently the Bar Association doesn’t even have any concrete rules on whom to invite; instead they say they invite “significant” candidates.
On May 31, 2017, Andrew Straw filed a federal lawsuit against Indiana’s 2% petition requirement for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties, as applied to people who are physically disabled and unable to engage in petitioning in public in the normal fashion, which requires mobility. The lawsuit is based on the federal law that prohibits states from discriminating against disabled individuals. Straw v State of Indiana, s.d., 1:17cv-1797. The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge William T. Lawrence, a Bush Jr. appointee.
For 2018, Straw wants to be on the ballot as the Disability Party nominee for Secretary of State. Here is the ballotpedia page about him.
A Michigan group called “Voters Not Politicians” will soon start to circulate a state constitutional initiative, to set up a redistricting commission for drawing U.S. House and state legislative district boundaries. See this story. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
