For First Time Since 1991, if Not First Time Ever, Registered Republicans are Outnumbered by Independents and Minor Parties

Posted on by November 22, 2016
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Voter registration data for October 2016 shows that for the first time since 1991, if not the first time ever, there are more voters registered as independents or as members of third parties, than there are registered Republicans. The current data shows:

Democrats: 45,690,825, 40.60%
Republicans: 33,052,332, 29.37%
all others: 33,805,018, 30.04%

BAN has been tracking this data starting in 1992, and never before had the “other” registrants outnumbered either major party.

Many people believe that independents and minor party registrants comprise 40%. The sources of the confusion are polls that say 40% of voters identify as independents. The poll results and the actual registration data have never been closely aligned.

Politico Story Says More Democratic Presidential Electors May Vote for Someone Other than Hillary Clinton, as a Model to Tempt Republican Electors to do the Same

Posted on by November 22, 2016
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This Politico story says more than just two Democratic presidential electors are mulling over voting for someone other than Hillary Clinton. Their motive seems to be to encourage Republican presidential electors to have the courage to vote for someone other than Donald Trump. One of the Democratic electors says the college should return to the role that the founding fathers planned, to make their own decision as to who ought to be President. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.

Minor Parties Won At Least 19 Partisan Elections on November 8, 2016

Posted on by November 22, 2016
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It appears there were 19 partisan elections won by minor parties on November 8, 2016. The Progressive Party won the Vermont Lieutenant Governorship and nine state legislative races.

The Green Party won five partisan elections in Michigan and one in Connecticut. The office in Connecticut was Registrar of Voters of New Canaan. The Michigan offices were: (1) County Board in Grand Traverse County; (2) two seats on the Park Commission of Ypsilanti Township, Washtenaw County; (3) one seat on the Park Commission of Holly Township, Oakland County; (4) Town Clerk of Newberg Township, Cass County.

The Libertarian Party won one partisan election in Indiana, one in Kentucky, and one in Michigan. The offices were: (1) Town Judge in Hagerstown, Indiana; (2) County Commission, seat B, in Jefferson County, Kentucky; (3) one seat on the Park Commission of Ypsilanti Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Missouri Erroneously Reports that Presidential Write-in Candidate Marshall Schoenke Received 11,503 Write-Ins

Posted on by November 22, 2016
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Marshall Roy Schoenke was a write-in presidential candidate last week. He was not on the ballot in any state, but he filed for write-in status in some states. On November 21, the Missouri Secretary of State’s web page erroneously reported that he received 11,503 write-ins. This was an error, which the excellent research done by commenters (see the comments below) explain. It is expected that the Secretary of State will correct the error when the final tabulation is complete.

Schoenke and his running mate, James Creighton Mitchell, Jr., both live in Lake County, Illinois, near Chicago.

Thanks to the commenters, especially Mark Dunlap.

Three-Judge U.S. District Court Strikes Down Wisconsin Assembly Districts as an Unconstitutional Partisan Gerrymander

Posted on by November 21, 2016
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On November 21, a 3-judge U.S. District Court struck down Wisconsin’s 2011 redistricting plan for the Assembly, the lower house of the legislature. Whitford v Gill, w.d., 3:15cv-421. Here is the opinion, which was 2-1. The opinion is by Judge Kenneth F. Ripple, a Reagan appointee. It is co-signed by Judge Barbara Crabb, a Carter appointee. The dissent, which is 40 pages, is by Judge William Griesbach, a Bush Jr. appointee.

The plaintiffs are voters who identify with the Democratic Party. Because this was a 3-judge court, the state’s only appeal is to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is very likely to accept the case. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.