On June 28, the North Carolina House Elections Committee passed SB 656, the ballot access bill. The House will probably vote on it on Wednesday afternoon, June 28. The Committee amended the bill for petitions for newly-qualifying parties, from 10,000 signatures, to one-fourth of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, which would be 11,778 signatures for 2018 and 2020. North Carolina gubernatorial elections are held in presidential years. Thanks to Kevin Hayes for this news.
Iowa held a special election on June 27, to fill the vacant 22nd district State House seat. The unofficial results: Republican Jon Jacobsen 1,069; independent Carol Forristall 803; Libertarian Bryan Jack Holder 98. There were also 465 write-ins, the vast majority of whom were for the Democratic nominee, Ray Stevens, who was left off the ballot because he filed a document past the deadline.
California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 96 on the afternoon of June 27, only an hour after it was sent to him. It is part of the budget but it also changes the rules for recall petitions, effective immediately.
On June 27, the Portland Press Herald released this story, explaining the complex status of ranked choice voting as of that afternoon.
The North Carolina House Election Law Committee will hold another hearing on SB 656 on Wednesday, June 28, at 11 a.m. The committee already passed the bill once, but some legislators want another hearing to discuss an amendment. Thanks to Brian Irving for this news.
