According to this story, in the middle, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe says he will sign individual certificates to restore voter registration rights for the 13,000 ex-felons who already had been put on the rolls by his earlier blanket proclamation. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
On July 22, the Illinois Supreme Court accepted an appeal from proponents of the statewide initiative to set up an independent redistricting commission. See the group’s web page here. The lower court had ruled that it can’t be on the ballot, even though it has enough valid signatures, because the lower court felt the Illinois Constitution doesn’t permit that type of initiative. See this news story. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news.
On July 20, the Libertarian and Constitution Parties filed this brief in their ballot access case. The issue is the March 29 deadline for new parties, if the parties want to have nominees for all offices. A decision is expected soon, because whether the Constitution Party’s nominees for U.S. Senate and state legislature get on the November ballot depends on the outcome.
On July 20, U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel struck down two Austin, Texas campaign finance restrictions, but he upheld a third one. The case is Zimmerman v City of Austin, w.d., 1:15cv-628. Here is the 18-page opinion.
Austin law made it illegal for candidates for Mayor or City Council to receive campaign contributions, except during the period starting six months before the election. That law was invalidated.
Austin law also required candidates for Mayor and City Council to disburse their excess campaign contributions, during the three months after the election. The law required them to give the money back to their contributors, give it to charity, or the city. That was also invalidated.
The judge upheld the $300 limit on individual contributions. The fourth issue in the case was the law that limited the amount that a candidate could spend, that came from outside the city, to $36,000. The judge said the plaintiff did not have standing to challenge that law. The plaintiff is an incumbent member of the city council who is running for re-election. The evidence showed he had nowhere near that amount of contributions from outside the city, so as to him, the law made no difference, so he lacked standing.
On June 22, the Marijuana Party filed its petition to be recognized as a party in Nebraska. See this story.
