A Nebraska state court will soon decide whether to invalidate a referendum petition on the death penalty. Sponsors of the referendum got enough valid signatures, but their opponents say the measure should be kept off the November 2016 ballot because the petition was flawed. The petition must list the measure’s sponsors. But the definition of “sponsor” is unclear. See this story.
On November 16, Virginia Survey released this poll, which includes questions about the general election in which Jim Webb is listed as an independent. Scroll down to questions 7 through 10.
Michigan law requires the Secretary of State to compile of list of presidential primary candidates who are discussed in news media. They go on the ballot automatically. Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson’s list omits former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore, even though the Republican National Committee lists him as a bona fide Republican candidate. The Michigan Republican Party has the authority to add Gilmore to the list, but must do so by the end of the day, Tuesday, November 17. If the Michigan Republican Party doesn’t list him, he will need almost 11,000 signatures to get on the primary ballot. See this story.
Even if the Republican ballot ends up with only fourteen candidates, it will be the most crowded Republican presidential primary ballot in Michigan history. The previous record was twelve candidates, in 2012.
The Virginia petition deadline for presidential primary candidates is December 10, 2015. As of the morning of November 17, Donald Trump is the only candidate who has submitted a Virginia petition. He submitted his on November 2. The law requires 5,000 signatures; Trump submitted approximately 15,000. See this story.
According to this story, the Connecticut legislature may suspend the public funding program for 2016. The Connecticut public funding law, passed in 2005, is the most unjust public funding law ever passed in any state. Nominees of parties that polled 20% for Governor in the preceding election easily qualify with a limited number of private campaign donations. But independent candidates, and the nominees of new parties, need a petition of 20% of the last vote cast, in addition to raising small private donations, to get equal public funding.
The U.S. District Court struck the law down, but the 2nd circuit restored it by 2-1, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
