On February 8, the Virginia top-two bill failed to pass the House Elections Committee. A subcommittee on January 30 had suggested the bill be tabled. The vote in subcommittee was 4-3. The bill is HJ 541 by Delegate Sam Rasoul.
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On February 10, the New Mexico House Local Government, Elections, Land Grants & Cultural Affairs Committee passed HB 206 and HB 226 without opposition. HB 206 says that parties with primaries must allow independent voters to vote in those primaries. HB 226 eases the number of signatures for independent candidates, and the nominees of qualified parties that nominate by convention (such as the Green Party, and Better for America).
The bills now go to the Judiciary Committee. HB 206 is undergoing a slight amendment. The bill as introduced just lets independent voters choose a major party primary ballot, but the amendment will extend that to people who are registered in unqualified parties.
On February 10, the New Mexico House Local Government, Elections, Land Grants & Cultural Affairs Committee declined to pass HJR 6, the proposed constitutional amendment for a top-two system. The analysis said the measure, if enacted, would lead to a longer primary ballot, because the names of candidates from all parties, plus all independent candidates, would be printed on that single primary ballot. Also the analysis said separate presidential primary ballots for each of the three parties entitled to a presidential primary would still be needed.
Georgia will hold a special election on April 18 to fill the vacant 6th district seat. The seat is vacant because Congressman Tom Price resigned to join the cabinet. In Georgia special elections, any candidate can get on the ballot with a filing fee; there is no petition. Party labels are printed on the ballot, but no party has nominees. If no one gets 50% there is a run-off.
Although Georgia has not had any minor party candidates on the ballot for U.S. House in regular elections since 1942, it frequently has minor party candidates for U.S. House in special elections.
There will be special elections for U.S. House during April, three weeks in a row. California has one April 4; Kansas April 11; and Georgia April 18.
The Kansas House Committee on Elections has introduced HB 2224. It lowers the number of signatures needed to qualify a party from 2% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1%. It also expands the period to collect those signatures from six months to one year. Green Party activists in Kansas are responsible for getting this bill introduced.
Bills to lower the number of signatures for independent candidates or new parties, or to lower the vote test for a party to remain on the ballot, are now pending in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.