BBC, host of the first two British election debates being held in April 2015, won’t expand the list of invited parties other than the seven it already invited. See this story. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
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Illinois Representative Scott Drury (D-Highwood) has introduced HB 193. It would move the Illinois primary (including the presidential primary) from March to the 4th Tuesday in June.
Illinois and Texas are the only states in the nation in which non-presidential primaries are earlier than April. If the Illinois bill were to pass, there would be no effect on petition deadlines for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties. Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news.
On January 26, Democratic State Representative Keith English, who represents Missouri’s 68th district, said he is leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent. See this story.
At the November 2014 election, English was re-elected as a Democrat with 6,758 votes. His only opponent, Republican Becky Sharma, received 3,435. Thanks to Michael for the link.
A lower state court in Albuquerque will hear Crum v Duran on Tuesday, February 10, at 10 a.m. This is the case in which the plaintiff, an independent voter, argues that the New Mexico Constitution protects his right to vote in partisan primaries. The New Mexico State Constitution, Article VIII, section one, says, “Every person who is a qualified elector pursuant to the Constitution and laws of the United States and a citizen thereof shall be qualified to vote in all elections in New Mexico, subject to residency and registration requirements.”
Currently, the only parties entitled to their own primary in New Mexico are the Democratic and Republican Parties. Although either of them is free at any time to invite independents to vote in their primary, neither has done so.
The other recognized parties in New Mexico nominate by convention. They are the Constitution, Green, Independent American, and Libertarian Parties.
John Myers of California public broadcasting has this clear and interesting article about the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court oral argument in Arizona State Legislature v Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. This is the case over whether Article One mandates that only state legislatures, and not other state agencies, can draw U.S. House district boundaries. Thanks to AroundtheCapitol for the link.