On January 27, the Constitution Party won its ballot access case, after the government of St. Louis County admitted that its ballot access law for county council is unconstitutional. The county law says only the two largest parties (as measured by the last gubernatorial vote) may run nominees for that office, which is a partisan office. The judge had already enjoined the law last year, so this is not surprising. The case is Constitution Party of Missouri v St. Louis County, e.d., 4:15cv-207. The county government must now pay $30,973 in attorneys fees to the attorney for the party. Thanks to Ken Bush for this news.

On January 28, the Louisiana Supreme Court invalidated a portion of the State Constitution that bans ex-felons from running for state or local office for 15 years after the end of their sentence. The ruling is based on a technicality: the version that passed the legislature was not the same as the version that the voters then passed. See this story.

Washington, D.C. city councilmembers Jack Evans and Anita Bonds have introduced B21-576. It would make it easier for presidential candidates to get on a presidential primary ballot. Current law requires a petition of 1,000 party members (or 1% of the party membership, whichever is less). The bill would say that if a political party desires to set out its own rules, those rules would apply. Presumably, if this bill passes, the parties would simply dispense with petitions, although they would probably require a filing fee.