On March 27, the Arkansas Senate passed SB 389 by a vote of 20-5.  It creates a presidential primary that is separate from the primary for other office.  The primary for other office will continue to be on the fourth Tuesday in May.

Arkansas has always had its presidential primaries in May, except in 2008 when it held a separate presidential primary in February.

Another Arkansas bill, SB 765, which would have moved all primaries to March, has not advanced.  If SB 765 were to become law, the effect would be to make the non-presidential independent candidate petition deadline even earlier than it already is.  Already, Arkansas is being sued over the April deadline, but SB 765 would have put that deadline in late January or early February.

Because SB 389 seems likely to pass, it is now more likely that Mississippi and Alabama will pass pending bills that move their primaries (for all office) from March 8 to March 1.  The three states mentioned in this post, plus Georgia, have long been planning to have simultaneous presidential primaries.  The Georgia law lets the Secretary of State choose the date so no legislative action is needed in Georgia.  Thanks to John Putnam for this news.

On March 24, the states of Kansas and Arizona asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Kobach v U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 14-1164.  This is the dispute over whether those states can require the federal government to alter the postcard voter registration forms in those two states.  The form asks applicants to sign over penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens.  The two states want the forms altered to tell applicants that they must attach proof of citizenship.

The U.S. District Court in Kansas had ruled in favor of the two states, but the Tenth Circuit had reversed, basing its decision on the fact that the Commission had held extensive fact-finding hearings on whether the change was necessary, and had determined that the change is not necessary.

In November 2014, Dean Corren was the Progressive Party nominee for Lieutenant Governor.  He was also nominated by the Democratic Party, and he received 36.1% of the general election vote.  Now the Attorney General, William Sorrell, has sued Corren, saying that an e-mail sent by the Vermont Democratic Party to its list of supporters, inviting recipients to attend a rally featuring U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Governor Peter Shumlin, and Corren, constitutes an illegal campaign contribution to Corren.  Shumlin and Sorrell are both Democrats.

The Attorney General wants Corren to repay $52,000 that he received in public funding, plus a fine of $20,000.  Corren already spent the public funding he received on his campaign.

On March 20, Corren sued the Attorney General in federal court, arguing that the repayment order is disproportionate, and alternatively that the Democratic Party’s e-mail is not a campaign contribution.  The federal case is Corren v Sorrell, 2:15cv-58.  Thanks to the Center for Competitive Elections for this news.  The case is assigned to Judge William K. Sessions, a Clinton appointee. Here is the complaint.