The Albuquerque Journal has this article (scroll down) mentioning that the Libertarian Party will have a primary in 2018. This will be the first time that the New Mexico Libertarian Party has ever before qualified for its own primary. If the party retains that status in the November 2018 election, it will also have a primary in 2020, along with its first New Mexico presidential primary.
Utah will hold a special election for U.S. House, 3rd district, on November 7, 2017. This Deseret News op-ed describes the struggle of the new United Utah Party to be able to place its nominee, Jim Bennett, on that ballot.
The party will probably file a lawsuit if the state continues to drag its feet on checking the party’s petition.
On May 31, leaders of seven British parties debated each other, except that the leader of the Conservative Party, Theresa May, didn’t appear and sent a spokesperson to take her place. The election is June 8. See this story.
The seven debaters were: Jeremy Corbyn (Labour); Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat); Caroline Lucas (Green); Paul Nuttall (UKIP); Angus Robertson (Scottish National); Amber Rudd (Conservative); and Leanne Wood (Plaid Cymru). The debate lasted 90 minutes and was broadcast on BBC One.
On May 30, Illinois state officials dropped their Seventh Circuit appeal in Ball v Madigan, 17-1896. This is the case in which the U.S. District Court had invalidated a state law making it illegal for marijuana businesses to contribute to candidates for state office. The state had filed a notice of appeal, but has now changed its mind. The case had been filed by a 2016 Libertarian candidate, Claire Ball.
On May 31, the California Senate passed SB 149 on a party-line vote, 27-13. It requires presidential primary candidates to reveal five years of tax returns. A Republican Senator presented an amendment that would have also required candidates to show their birth certificates, but it was defeated. The bill now goes to the Assembly.
