The Law Commission of India has recommended that the election law of India be changed to bar independent candidates. See this story.
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Paul Clement and Neal Katyal, both past Solicitors General for the United States government, have written this article on Article II’s provision that a president must be a natural-born citizen. Apparently they were moved to write about this subject because U.S. Senator Ted Cruz is running for President and he was born in Canada. Thanks to Howard Bashman for the link.
Pope Francis I recently said, “Perhaps public financing would allow for me, the citizen, to know that I’m financing each candidate with a given amount of money.” He made other remarks that show he is worried that when campaigns are funded privately, good government is less likely. See this story. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
On March 12, four Alabama State Senators introduced a bill to ease ballot access. The bill, SB 221, lowers the number of signatures for independent candidates, and newly-qualifying parties, from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1.5%. That change affects petitions for Congress and state office. Petitions for partisan county office would continue to be 3%.
The bill also eases the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties, for Congress and state office, from primary day, to the third Wednesday after the runoff primary. The deadline for petitions for county office, and for independent candidates, would not change.
The lead sponsor is Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster). The co-sponsors are Senator Paul Sanford (R-Huntsville), Rusty Glover (R-Semmes), and Tom Whatley (R-Auburn). Thanks to Joshua Cassity for this news.
On March 11, the Arizona Senate Government Committee passed HB 2608 by a vote of 4-3. It makes it substantially more difficult for members of small qualified parties to get on their own party’s primary ballot. All Republicans voted “yes” and all Democrats voted “no”. The bill has already passed the House, and that was also a party-line vote.