On August 29, U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler, a Biden appointee, struck down South Dakota’s February petition deadline for statewide initiatives. Dakotans for Health v Johnson, 4:25cv-4050. Here is the decision.

In 2023, the Eighth Circuit had struck down South Dakota’s deadline of one year before the election for initiative petitions. In response, the legislature had moved the petition deadline to May. But in 2025, it moved that deadline to February. The state argues that the early deadline is necessary in case the initiative is subject to court challenge, but that argument did not prevail.

This news story explores whether No Labels, a qualified party in Arizona, could become a political success.

On August 22, two Ohio voting rights groups filed a federal lawsuit against the new Ohio law that says when people register to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles, they must produce proof of citizenship. Oddly, though, Ohio doesn’t require such proof for any other type of voter registration. Red Wine and Blue v LaRose, n.d., 1:25cv-1760. Here is the Complaint.

The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr., a Clinton appointee.