On November 18, the Maine Secretary of State determined that the initiative for instant runoff voting (for all federal and state office except President) does have enough valid signatures. It will appear on the November 2016 ballot.
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The Alabama Democratic Party has a rule, barring candidates from running in its primary if during the last four years they supported another political party. On November 18, a state court upheld the rule, in a lawsuit filed by former Democratic Congressman Artur Davis. Davis wants to run as a Democrat in 2016 for Montgomery County Commission. However, in 2012 he endorsed Mitt Romney for President.
Alabama state and federal courts have consistently upheld the ability of the Democratic and Republican Parties to bar candidates from their own primaries based on the candidates’ past political behavior. See this story, which has a link to the decision, Artur v Alabama Democratic Party, cv-2015-901698, Montgomery County. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
Candidates running in New Hampshire presidential primaries get on the ballot by paying a $1,000 filing fee. Ted Cruz recently filed to be on the Republican presidential primary. Two challenges to his ballot position have now been filed, on the grounds that he is ineligible. The Ballot Law Commission will adjudicate the matter on November 24. See this story.
On November 17, the Tucson city council voted to ask the Ninth Circuit to rehear the case over the city’s system for electing councilmembers. Tucson holds partisan elections for city council. The Tucson system has partisan primaries in districts, and then the nominees run in the general election at-large. The Ninth Circuit ruled 2-1 that the system violates Equal Protection. See this story.
Ohio Governor John Kasich, a Republican presidential candidate, has asked NBC for twelve minutes of free time on the entire national network. Also, candidates Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, and George Pataki have asked NBC for equal time in some markets. This is to match the free time NBC gave Donald Trump when he was on Saturday Night Life. See this story. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link.