This Politico article quotes several experts on polls, who agree that presidential primary debate sponsors are depending on polls far too much when they decide which candidates to invite.
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On October 5, the U.S. Supreme Court revealed that on September 28, it had refused to hear Balsam v Guadagno, 15-39. This is the case in which some New Jersey voters argued that New Jersey’s closed primaries are unconstitutional.
North Dakota is the only state without voter registration. According to this op-ed in the Fargo Forum, the city’s daily newspaper, an interim legislative committee is studying whether to set up a system of voter registration. The author seems to favor the idea.
On October 1, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Puerto Rico v Valle, 15-108. Technically the case is about criminal law, but the courts, to resolve this case, must also resolve whether Puerto Rico has any sovereignty or whether Congress has all sovereignty over Puerto Rico.
A resident of Puerto Rico was indicted by the federal government for the illegal sale of firearms. He plead guilty and served a short term. Then he was indicted by Puerto Rico authorities for the gun violation. The Puerto Rico Supreme Court ruled that he could not be prosecuted by Puerto Rico because that would be double jeopardy. The double jeopardy part of the U.S. Constitution prevents the same government from prosecuting someone twice for the same offense, but it does not prevent both the federal government and a state government from prosecuting. Thus the question turns on whether Puerto Rico has a sovereign (even if limited) government of its own. Here is the cert petition. Thanks to HowAppealing for this news.
Time Magazine has this list of all the Republican primaries and caucuses, and the number of delegates each state and territory sends to the national convention.