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New Hampshire State Court Strikes Down Wording on Voter Registration Form That Might Discourage Students from Registering

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Richard WingerJuly 25, 2014

On July 24, a New Hampshire Superior Court in Strafford County struck down language on the New Hampshire voter registration form that seems to say that no one should register to vote in the state unless he or she has also registered one’s automobile in New Hampshire. The plaintiffs include some college students, who desire to vote in New Hampshire while they are in college, but who don’t expect to live in New Hampshire after they graduate. They don’t register their car in New Hampshire because they have a more permanent home elsewhere (generally their parents’ home).

Guare v The State of New Hampshire, superior court, 219-20120cv-458. The ACLU handled this case. Here is a copy of the 10-page decision.

Illinois Green Party “Binder Check” Process Starts in Springfield

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Richard WingerJuly 25, 2014

On July 24, the “binder check” process started for the Illinois Green Party. Because the party’s petition for statewide office is being challenged, the party must supply twelve individuals who will spend all day, during weekdays, sitting in a State Elections Board office and poring over each signature that has been challenged. The challengers must have an equal number of workers, but typically when the challengers represent major party figures, those major parties pay their workers.

Worse for the Green Party is that the State Board of Elections is not conducting this process in Chicago, even though the State Board has offices in Chicago. Most of the Green Party workers live in the Chicago area.

Poll for U.S. Senate Race in Kansas

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Richard WingerJuly 25, 2014

On July 25, SurveyUSA released a poll for the U.S. Senate race in Kansas. The results: Republican incumbent Pat Roberts 38%; Democrat Chad Taylor 33%; independent Greg Orman 14%; Libertarian Randall Batson 4%; undecided 11%. See here for more detail.

The Kansas primary is August 5, and both Roberts and Taylor have primary opponents. Nevertheless, they are very likely to be nominated.

Orman has raised approximately $600,000, a higher amount than anyone else running outside the two major parties for Congress this year, except for Marianne Williamson, the California independent for U.S. House who is being kept out of the general election due to the top-two system.

In the Governor’s race, the results are: Democrat Paul Davis 48%; Republican incumbent Sam Brownback 40%; Libertarian Keen Umbehr 5%; undecided 7%.

Fairvote Will Sell a Copy of “United States Congressional Elections 1788-1997” for Bargain Price, While Supplies Last

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Richard WingerJuly 24, 2014

The book “United States Congressional Elections 1788-1997”, by Michael J. Dubin, published in 1998, sells new for $409.40. It has election returns for every individual who ever ran for Congress in a general election, including the party label, the vote, and the percentage of the vote.

It is one of my two most precious reference books (the other is “The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the U.S. Congress 1789-1989”, by Kenneth Martis). Fairvote is selling copies of Dubin’s 1,005-page book for only $20, which includes shipping. Obviously there is a limited supply, so it’s first come-first serve.

Amazon does have a few used copies of Dubin’s book for $88.00 plus shipping, but the Fairvote copies are new. To buy the book from Fairvote, send a check for $20 to Fairvote, 6930 Carroll Ave., #610, Takoma Park Md 20912.

Arizona Concedes that County Distribution Requirement for Statewide Primary Candidates is Unconstitutional

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Richard WingerJuly 24, 2014

On July 24, the Arizona Secretary of State filed paperwork with a U.S. District Court, conceding that Arizona’s county distribution requirement for primary election statewide candidate petitions is unconstitutional. This came about because the Arizona Public Integrity Alliance and some Arizona voters had earlier filed a lawsuit against the county distribution requirement. The state decided not to try to defend the law, and will ask the Court to rule it unconstitutional. Arizona Public Integrity Alliance v Bennett, 2:14cv-1044.

The law requires statewide candidates, seeking a place on a primary ballot, to collect signatures from at least three counties. The only state that still has a county distribution requirement for statewide candidate petitions is now Pennsylvania. As in Arizona, the Pennsylvania law only applies to candidates in primaries. The Pennsylvania law requires signatures from at least 10 counties.