This April 13 Charlotte Observer editorial expresses disappointment that the Federal Election Commission still won’t rule that the Commission on Presidential Debates is breaking federal campaign finance law with its exclusive rules for inclusion in the debates.
This newspaper story says newly-installed Alabama Governor Kay Ivey may call a special U.S. Senate election for this year. She replaced Governor Robert Bentley on April 10. Governor Bentley wouldn’t call such an election.
On April 13, the Maine Supreme Court heard arguments over whether the Maine Constitution is compatible with ranked choice voting. Here is an article that seems to have been written as the hearing was underway. All it says is that the Justices had tough questions. The article doesn’t say whether that means they had tough questions for both sides, or just one side. Later today there will probably be more detailed news stories. Check back. UPDATE: here is a news story with somewhat more detail. FURTHER UPDATE: see this Portland Press Herald story, the most comprehensive. Two of the justices seem to feel Ranked Choice Voting will mean the end of the two-party system, which is a very peculiar idea.
On April 4, North Carolina Senator Andrew Brock (R-Mocksville) introduced SB 656. He is in his eighth term. His bill lowers the number of signatures for a newly-qualifying party to exactly 10,000, which is what was required in North Carolina between 1929 and 1981. It lowers the number of signatures for a statewide independent to exactly 5,000. It lowers the district independent petitions from 4% to 3% of the number of registered voters.
There are now ballot access bills in both houses of the North Carolina legislature. HB 769 is the House bill. Thanks to Kevin Hayes for the information about the Senate bill.
On April 12, the Oklahoma House Elections & Ethics Committee passed SB 350. It makes it easier for a party to remain on the ballot. The bill had already passed the Senate. The vote in committee was 7-0.
The current vote test for a party to remain on is a vote of 2.5% for the office at the top of the ballot (president in presidential years, governor in midterm years). The bill changes that to 2.5% for any statewide race at either of the last two elections. Before 1974, the Oklahoma vote test was also either of the last two elections, so this is not a new idea for Oklahoma. Oklahoma has many statewide offices up in midterm years.
