On June 1, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 25. It repeals the straight-ticket device. Now, the only states that still have them are Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Utah; and whether Michigan continues to have the device depends on the federal courts. Thanks to Jim Riley for this news.
Chia-Chi Teng, a professor at Brigham Young University, desires to seek the Republican nomination for U.S. House, in the upcoming special election. He is temporarily out of the country, and is in China. He attempted to file but was thwarted by a Utah law that requires candidates to file in-person at the elections office. See this story.
It is possible Utah is the only state that requires candidates to file in person. A few years ago the Utah law was relaxed to excuse presidential candidates from appearing in person. The lawsuit has a hearing in state court on June 12.
Candidates are in the process of filing to seek a party nomination in the November 2017 special U.S. House election in Utah. Here is a list of such candidates. Two candidates filed, saying they want the Independent American nomination: Aaron Heineman and Jason Christensen. If they both have substantial support at the party’s nominating convention, the government will hold a primary for the Independent American Party to choose between them. It is believed this would be the first time this party will have had a primary.
On May 28, the Texas legislature passed SB 5, which eases the existing Texas law requiring voters at the polls to show government photo-ID. The bill allows people who don’t have such ID to vote anyway. However they must sign a statement explaining that they don’t have such ID, and if they are found to have not told the truth, are subject to serious criminal penalties.
On June 1, the North Carolina House Elections Committee passed SB 655, which moves the primary for all office from May to March. The bill had already passed the Senate unanimously. The House Elections Committee did not consider any other bill at its June 1 meeting. The bill also moves a reference to the South Carolina presidential primary date.
The bill is sponsored by Senator Andrew Brock (R-Mocksville), the same Senator who is also sponsoring the ballot access bill.
