The print edition of the New York Times for January 4, 2017, has an essay by Eduardo Porter, “How Dysfunction Threatens U.S. Democracy.” The same article with a slightly different title is on-line here. The essay is general, but the extent it criticizes anything about U.S. elections, it attacks partisan gerrymandering.
According to this story, Jill Stein did not spend all the money she raised for the recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. She will use the balance, estimate to be between $1,500,000 and $2,000,000, for a new organization that will work on integrity of elections.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has this editorial, advocating that the nation eliminate the electoral college.
It’s the latest in a long series of electoral college reform proposals.
Legislators in Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas have agreed to introduce ballot access improvement bills in 2017. It is hoped that legislators in additional states will soon be found. This is the time when activists have the most opportunity to get bills introduced.
According to this Washington Post story, there are or soon will be bills in California, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York to keep presidential candidates off the ballot if those candidates don’t release their federal income tax returns. These laws are overwhelmingly likely to be held unconstitutional if they are passed. The idea should be presented as a national constitutional amendment. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
