On June 21, California State Senator Ricardo Lara amended his SB 568. The original bill moved the primary for all office from June to March, but only in presidential years. The amended bill provides that the primary would be in March in midterm years as well as presidential years. However, it would not take effect until January 1, 2019.
The bill has already passed the Senate, and the Assembly Elections Committee, and is now in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
On June 26, the Utah state elections office said that the United Utah Party has enough valid signatures on its petition, and is now a qualified party. Still to be determined is whether its nominee for U.S. House in the November 7, 2017 special election will be on the ballot. U.S. District Court Judge David Nuffer will hear oral arguments on that on July 14, Friday, at 8:30 a.m.
The North Carolina House had scheduled a vote on Monday, June 26, on SB 656, the ballot access bill. However some legislators objected that the bill’s provision of 5,000 signatures for a statewide independent is too low, so the bill will probably go back to the House Elections Committee to discuss that objection. The bill provides 10,000 signatures for newly-qualifying parties.
On Monday, June 26, Virginia Congressmember Don Beyer will introduce the Fair Representation Act. In most states, it would end single-member districts. See this Huffington Post article for an explanation.
The Maine legislature will still be in session on Tuesday, June 27, and is expected to act on ranked choice voting bills.
