Mississippi elected statewide executive positions and a new legislature on November 3, 2015. This article has the statewide vote totals. The Reform Party had a complete slate of statewide nominees, and the Libertarian Party had two statewide nominees.
Ten California Green Party members won elections for non-partisan local office on November 3. See the list here. Thanks to IndependentPolitical Report for the link.
On November 2, the Ohio Libertarian Party filed this ten-page brief, summarizing evidence that officials in the Secretary of State’s office applied a ballot access law selectively in 2014, when the party’s gubernatorial nominee was kept off the primary ballot. Even if you don’t normally read legal briefs, this one is worth reading. Thanks to Steve Linnabary for the link.
On November 4, Public Policy Polling released results of a general election presidential poll for Iowa. Question 34 includes Jim Webb as an independent. Those results: Hillary Clinton, Democrat, 41%; Donald Trump, 40%; Jim Webb, 9%, undecided 10%.
On November 3, U.S. District Court Judge David Nuffer ruled that Utah cannot force political parties to let independent voters vote in their primaries. The case had been filed by the Republican Party and the Constitution Party, and is Utah Republican Party v Herbert, 2:14cv-876.
Utah law said parties could exclude independents from their primaries if they wished, but the nominees of such parties could not then have the party label on the November ballot. The decision barely discusses this provision, and simply takes it for granted that no party would be willing to pay that price.
The decision also says that Utah may provide that candidates who have no support at party caucuses must still be allowed to petition onto the general election ballot. However, the decision construes the law to mean that only party members may sign such petitions. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news. The state says it may appeal.
