On June 20, the California Senate Elections Committee heard AB 469, which shrinks the amount of time to collect signatures in lieu of the candidate filing fee, but somewhat lowers the number of signatures needed. As passed by the Assembly, the bill requires 7,000 signatures for statewide office; 2,000 for State Senate and U.S. House; and 1,000 for Assembly.

The Senate Committee passed the bill, but only after the author agreed to lower the number of signatures further. The amended bill will require 1,800 for State Senate and U.S. House, and 900 for Assembly. The committee didn’t really clarify what the amended bill will require for statewide office, but it is somewhat probable that it will be close to 6,500. This outcome would not have occurred without the skilled lobbying of the Peace and Freedom and Green Parties, and Californians for Electoral Reform.

Maine State Senator Michael Carpenter (D-Houlton) has this op-ed in the Bangor Daily News. He is a former Attorney General of Maine. He believes that the legislature should pass a compromise bill this week concerning Ranked Choice Voting. He would pass a bill that provides for Ranked Choice Voting for congress, and for primaries for congress, Governor, and legislature. There would be no state constitutional problem with that idea; the state constitution is only an impediment for general elections for state office. Under Carpenter’s proposal, general elections for Governor and legislature would not use Ranked Choice Voting.

It is very likely that the Maine legislature will pass something concerning Ranked Choice Voting this week. Thanks to Rob Richie for the link.

The Oregon Senate Rules Committee will hear testimony on HB 2927 on Wednesday, June 21, at 1 p.m. This is the national popular vote plan bill that has already passed the House.

Oregon seems to be the only state in which a national popular vote plan bill has any chance of passing in 2017.