The Massachusetts petition deadline for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, for U.S. House and statewide office was July 29. The only unqualified parties that submitted petitions in Massachusetts for statewide office this year are the United Independent Party (which is running for Governor and Lieutenant Governor) and the Green Party (which is running for Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer, and Auditor).

The Green slate submitted 4,700 signatures that have already been validated by town clerks, and another 3,000 signatures that are about to be checked. For the offices the Green Party is running for, 5,000 signatures are needed, so the drive is extremely likely to succeed. The United Independent Party, which needed 10,000 to run for Governor, earlier submitted more than 10,000 verified signatures.

A group that polls at least 3% for any statewide office then gains qualified party status, and will automatically on the 2016 ballot. Unfortunately, qualified parties also face very difficult petitions for their members to get on their own party’s primary ballot, but at least qualified parties are automatically on the ballot for president, and also their candidates for president have very easy access to their own party’s presidential primary ballot. Also, qualified parties are listed on the voter registration form. Voters can also register into unqualified parties, but an applicant must write-in the name of an unqualified party on the voter registration form to register into it.

The Florida Bar Association prohibits candidates in judicial elections from asking anyone to make a campaign contribution. In 2009, Lanell Williams-Yulee sent a mass e-mail, asking for campaign contributions, to thousands of voters in her district. The Bar fined her $1,800 and reprimanded her, and the Florida Supreme Court upheld the Bar’s actions.

She appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court on June 17, 2014. On July 24, the U.S. Supreme Court asked the Florida Bar Association to respond. The Bar Association had earlier told the U.S. Supreme Court it didn’t intend to file a response, but now, of course, the Bar will do so. Generally, when the U.S. Supreme Court asks for a response, there is a one-in-three chance that the Court will eventually take the case.

An anonymous group has posted the names and addresses of all Houston, Texas residents who signed a referendum petition. The referendum would repeal an anti-discrimination city ordinance that is intended to protect anyone from being fired for sexual orientation. The group that posted the signatures says it believes in public disclosure. However, as this article points out, the people who posted the names are themselves keeping their identity a secret. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.