USA Today on New Jersey’s Peculiar Ballot Format for Primaries

USA Today has this article about the order of candidates on New Jersey primary ballots. The New Jersey primary, for President and all other partisan office, is June 7. The article explains that in most counties in New Jersey, the ballot has two dominant columns, and every candidate who doesn’t qualify to appear in one of the two visible columns is then placed in a third column, over the right, that is not immediately visible to many voters.

For presidential primary candidates, the odds of being in one of the two better columns depends on whether that presidential primary candidate is supported by various candidates running for partisan county office in the same primary. The article highlights Bernie Sanders supporters who filed to run in the Democratic primary for various county offices, not because they want the job, but to help Sanders appear in one of the better columns. No other state has such a ballot format policy for primary elections.

General election ballots in most counties in New Jersey have the same characteristic. Democratic and Republican nominees each have their own conspicuous column, and every other candidate is squished into the third column with no partisan party heading.

Arizona Libertarian Party Asks U.S. District Court to Enjoin New, Tougher Petition Requirements for Primary Ballot Access

On May 12, the Arizona Libertarian Party asked a U.S. District Court to enjoin the new, higher petition requirements for Libertarian candidates who wish to get on the Libertarian primary ballot. The case is Arizona Libertarian Party v Reagan, 2:16cv-1019. Here is the 28-page brief.
The primary is August 30, 2016. The deadline for primary petitions is June 1.

Missouri Legislature Passes Bill to Ask Voters if they Wish to Amend the State Constitution to Allow a Photo-ID Requirement for Voting

On May 12, the Missouri legislature passed HJR 53 and HB 1631. If these bills become law, then in November 2016 the voters will be asked if they wish to amend the Missouri Constitution to allow the legislature to require certain kinds of government photo-ID for voters at the polls.

It is somewhat likely that these bills will be vetoed by Governor Jay Nixon, who is a Democrat. But it is also likely that the legislature will then override the veto. See this story. Thanks to Ken Bush for the link.