Missouri State Senator David Sater (R-Cassville) has introduced SB 140. It would let counties and cities use instant runoff voting in partisan primaries for their own offices. See this story.
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On January 18, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback signed HB 2017, which eases ballot access in special U.S. House elections.
On January 19, Oklahoma State Senator David Holt (R-Oklahoma City) introduced two bills to ease ballot access for new and minor parties, as well as a bill to make it easier for initiatives to get on the ballot. Senator Holt has consistently been a leader in the Oklahoma State Senate, holding many leadership posts over the last few sessions.
SB 350 makes it easier for a party to remain on the ballot. Current law requires 2.5% of the last vote for the office at the top of the ticket (either Governor or president, every two years). The bill would change to vote test to 2.5% for any statewide office, at either of the last two elections.
In the past, between 1924 and 1974, the Oklahoma vote test was 5% for any statewide race at either of the last two elections.
SB 351 changes the petition requirement for independent presidential candidates, and the presidential nominees of unqualified parties, from 3% of the last presidential vote, to either 5,000 signatures or $5,000.
SJR 18 lowers the petition for initiatives that change ordinary laws from 8% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 2%. If passed, that would give Oklahoma the lowest statewide initiative procedure of any state. Currently, Massachusetts’ 3% of the last gubernatorial vote is the lowest of any state. SJR 18 also lowers the petition for initiatives to change the State Constitution from 15% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 10%. Thanks to E. Zachary Knight for this news.
On January 18, the Illinois Libertarian Party filed this brief in the Seventh Circuit in its lawsuit against the unique Illinois law that requires newly-qualifying parties to file a full slate of candidates. The U.S.District Court last year struck the law down, and the state is appealing.
On the evening of January 17, the Kansas Senate passed HB 2017 unanimously. It improves ballot access in special U.S. House elections. It lowers the number of signatures for an independent from 4% of the number of registered voters (approximately 17,000 signatures) to exactly 3,000 signatures. It also allows ballot-qualified parties that nominate by convention to participate in the election.
See this story.