Indiana Legislature Makes Straight-Ticket Device Even More Confusing

Posted on by March 31, 2016
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On March 21, Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed SB 61. It keeps the straight-ticket device, but says that voters who use it will also be required to vote separately on local partisan offices for which more than one candidate is elected. See this story. The bill was needed because, according to the story, “a technical glitch” was preventing some votes from being counted. The change will require some counties to re-program their vote-counting equipment.

Indiana legislators who oppose the straight-ticket device tried to amend the bill, so that it eliminates the device entirely, but they did not succeed.

Oklahoma House Passes Bill Making it Easier for a Party to Remain on the Ballot

Posted on by March 31, 2016
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On March 31, the Oklahoma House passed SB 896 by a vote of 69-15. It makes it easier for a party to remain on the ballot. Current law removes parties from the ballot when they fail to poll 10% for the office at the top of the ballot (president in presidential years, and Governor in midterm years). The bill lowers that to 2.5%. Thanks to E. Zachary Knight for this news.

The fifteen “No” votes were cast by thirteen Republicans and two Democrats. The two Democrats are Richard Morrissette and Shane Stone. The thirteen Republicans are: John Bennett, Kevin Calvey, Bobby Cleveland, Ann Coody, Dan Fisher, Randy Grau, Jadine Nollan, Terry O’Donnell, Scooter Park, Pam Peterson, Dustin Roberts, Chuck Strohm, and Justin Wood.

The House also passed SB 1108, which removes the names of candidates for presidential elector from the November ballot. Instead each polling place will have a notice telling the names of the presidential elector candidates. Assuming this bill becomes law, the only states in which the ballot will continue to list candidates for presidential elector are Arizona, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Idaho.

California June 2016 Primary Ballot Will List 35 Candidates for U.S. Senate

Posted on by March 31, 2016
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The California Secretary of State’s web page now has a list of candidates for the June 7, 2016 primary. Here is the link to the list for U.S. Senate. The ballot will list 35 candidates. Thanks to Jim Riley for the news.
Here is link to the full list of candidates for Congress and legislature. Use the links under “candidate information” to choose either branch of the legislature or either branch of Congress.