Alabama State Senator Cam Ward, in an e-mail, says he will again introduce his ballot access improvement bill. He has already introduced it in four previous sessions of the legislature.

Alabama is one of five states in November 2014 with the Democratic-Republican monopoly on the statewide ballot. The others were New Hampshire, New Mexico, California, and Pennsylvania. Since the 2014 election, the Pennsylvania ballot access laws have been declared unconstitutional. And the New Mexico requirements are under attack in the Tenth Circuit, with a hearing in March 2016.

Puerto Rico holds a Republican presidential primary on Sunday, March 6. Several weeks ago, the Republican Party put these candidates on the ballot: Bush, Carson, Christie, Cruz, Fiorina, Gilmore, Graham, Huckabee, Jindal, Kasich, Pataki, Paul, Rubio, Santorum, and Trump. Candidates had until January 7 to withdraw. It is not known if any of the candidates who have dropped out have withdrawn. Those candidates are Graham, Jindal, and Pataki. Thanks to Juan Jose Nolla for this news.

This Toronto Sun column explores what is likely to happen next if Canada changes its electoral system. The column summarizes the views of Canadian Green Party leaders and Conservative Party leaders who oppose Instant Runoff Voting and who worry that the government (which is controlled by the Liberal Party) will switch to Instant Runoff Voting and might not even hold a referendum. Greens, of course, want proportional representation.