The News-Gazette of Champaign-Urbana here editorially endorses SB 63, the Illinois bill to lower the number of signatures for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties.
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Some Utah legislators are now aware that SB 13, which moves the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties to November 15 of the year before the election, is likely to be held unconstitutional if challenged. Legislative analysts are researching the issue. So even though the bill has passed the State Senate and is in a House committee, there is hope that it can be amended.
On January 24, the Ohio sponsors of the Gary Johnson petition asked the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider its January 20 decision that Johnson’s vote did not create a new qualified party. Here is the ten-page request.
Last year, the Arkansas Libertarian Party won its ballot access lawsuit in U.S. District Court, against the law that says newly-qualifying parties must choose all their nominees (except president) at least one year before the election. The state appealed. The case is Libertarian Party of Arkansas v Martin, 16-3794. Here is the party’s response brief in the Eighth Circuit, explaining why the U.S. District Court decision was correct. The state now has an opportunity to file a reply brief in a few weeks.
The Arizona Secretary of State has released the first registration data since the October 28, 2016 data. The new percentages are: Republican 34.56%; Democratic 30.35%; Libertarian .88%; Green .20%; independent and miscellaneous 34.02%.
The October 2016 percentages were: Republican 34.54%; Democratic 30.41%; Libertarian .87%; Green .19%; independent and miscellaneous 33.98%. All categories increased except for the Democratic Party.