On April 2, the Republican National Committee narrowed down the list of cities in which the 2016 Republican national convention will be held. They are Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, and Las Vegas. The party eliminated Columbus and Phoenix. See this story. The story also says that the Republican Party wants the convention center in the city it chooses to have the flexibility to host the party during any part of June and the first half of July. The story says the last possible date the convention will start is July 18, 2016.

This Boston Globe column suggests that the Democratic and Republican Parties of Massachusetts should cease keeping candidates off their own party’s primary ballots. Party rules for both major parties in Massachusetts say that candidates cannot petition for a spot on a statewide primary unless those candidates get at least 15% of the vote at state conventions. The Massachusetts election law has no such provision, but both federal and state courts in Massachusetts have upheld the ability of the major parties to the 15% rule. Democrats invented it in the early 1980’s and Republicans later copied the idea.

On April 3, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed HB 5152, which repeals all restrictions on residency for petitioners. The new law says petitioners must be at least 18 years old, and a citizen. The bill had passed the legislature on March 27.