Virginia Bill to Keep Political Data Out of Redistricting Fails by One Vote in Subcommittee

Posted on by February 24, 2015
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On February 19, a subcommittee of the Virginia House Privileges and Elections Committee defeated SB 840 by 4-3. The bill provided that when U.S. House and state legislative districts are drawn, no district should be drawn to help any political party or incumbent legislator. Addresses of incumbent legislators were not to be included in any data base concerned with districting, nor could any data about an area’s voting history be included.

The bill had passed the State Senate on February 2 by a unanimous vote. See this story. The picture above the story appears to be a salamander, the animal that lent its name to “gerrymander.”

Samoan Citizenship Case Argued in U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit

Posted on by February 23, 2015
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On February 9, the U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. heard oral argument in Tuana v USA, 13-5272. The issue is whether the 14th amendment confers U.S. citizenship on persons born in American Samoa. The judges are Janice Rogers Brown, Laurence H. Silberman, and David B. Sentelle. Here is a Mother Jones article about the case. Thanks to Howard Bashman for the link.

Columbia Newspaper Carries Op-Ed on the Paucity of Competition in South Carolina Legislative Races

Posted on by February 23, 2015
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Professor J. David Gillespie has this op-ed in The State, daily newspaper for Columbia, South Carolina. The op-ed notes how few legislative races have both a Republican and a Democrat on the general election ballot, and points out that minor parties perform a useful service for voters by giving them more choices.

U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Challenge to Minnesota Law That Criminalizes False Speech About Political Party Endorsements

Posted on by February 23, 2015
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On February 23, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Clayton v Niska, 14-443. The plaintiff had challenged a Minnesota law that says, “A candidate may not knowingly make a false claim stating or implying that a candidate or ballot question has the support or endorsement of a major political party or party unit or of an organization.” A Minnesota State Appeals Court had upheld the law, and the Minnesota Supreme Court had refused to hear an appeal.

The plaintiff, Bonn Clayton, had been fined $500 because his website implied that the Minnesota Republican PArty had endorsed a particular candidate for judge, when actually the party had decided not to make any endorsements. Here is a copy of Clayton’s cert petition, giving his side of the dispute.