On December 14, attorneys for California state government filed this brief in Koller v Brown, n.d., 5:16cv-7069. This is the lawsuit in which a California Democratic presidential elector seeks to invalidate the California law that requires presidential elector candidates to vote in the electoral college for the national ticket of that elector’s party.

The state brief almost reads like a court decision instead of the brief of one side. It presents the arguments on both sides. However, it says the elector is not entitled to injunctive relief, because even though California law tells electors how to vote, California law does not have any penalty for an elector who disobeys. Therefore, the state says, Koller is not being subject to any possible harm, no matter what he does. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.

Jill Stein is in the process of polling her 161,000 recount donors, for their input on what to do with the unspent funds. See her web page here.

Many powerful California Democrats have signaled that they intend to run for Governor of California in 2018. On December 14, one of the few Republicans who had been considered a strong contender for Governor, Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, said she will not run for Governor in 2018. See this story. This increases the chances that the 2018 California primary will result in only two Democrats being on the November ballot for Governor.

Swearengin will only be Mayor of Fresno a few more weeks. She did not run for re-election.