Kansas HB 2108 would bring back the straight-ticket device, which was abolished in 1923. Even though the Secretary of State, Kris Kobach, supports the bill, it seems likely that it won’t pass. Other Kobach election law bills are moving ahead, such as his bill to restrict candidates from withdrawing. But the Kansas legislature’s web page shows that HB 2108 has been stricken from the House calendar.
One of the UKIP’s two members of the British House of Commons is advocating electoral reform, which probably means either ranked-choice voting or proportional representation. See this story. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
The February 28 issue of the Tulsa World has this editorial, advocating that the legislature pass HB 2181, which eases the petition requirement for newly-qualifying parties. Thanks to E. Zachary Knight for the link.
On February 27, the Ohio Libertarian Party requested a ruling from a U.S. District Court that the Court keep the party on the ballot for the 2015 local partisan elections. The party is awaiting a ruling from the same court on whether the new procedures for parties to get on the ballot (the bill passed in November 2013) is constitutional. In the meantime the party has some candidates in some local partisan 2015 elections.
The recent motion points out that the new law, passed in 2013, doesn’t even make it possible for a party to petition its way onto the ballot for odd year elections. Thanks to Steven Linnabary for the link.
On February 27, a Superior Court in North Carolina ruled that a trial is needed to determine if the new law, requiring voters at the polls to show government photo-ID, violates the State Constitution. See this story. The case is Currie v North Carolina, 13cv-1419, Orange County. The state government had tried to get the case dismissed without a trial.
