New Mexico Supreme Court Asks Secretary of State to Respond to Constitution Party Ballot Access Lawsuit

On November 26, the New Mexico Supreme Court asked the Secretary of State to respond to the Constitution Party’s ballot access that had been filed on November 25. The case is The Constitution Party of New Mexico v Duran, 34431. The issue is whether the Secretary of State was correct when she disqualified the Constitution Party (and also the Green Party) in July 2013. Although the Court’s quick response does not guarantee that the Court will hear the case, the odds are good that the Court will accept the case.

The lawsuit was filed directly with the State Supreme Court; it has not been to any lower state court.

Decision in Hard-Fought Wisconsin Lawsuit on Photo Voter-ID Law Likely to be Out Soon

In 2011, the Wisconsin legislature passed one of the nation’s most severe laws concerning photo-ID for voters who vote at the polls. The new law has not been enforced yet and has been in litigation since 2011. The first federal lawsuit filed against the law, Frank v Walker, eastern district 2:11cv-1128, had a trial November 4-8, 2013, and post-trial briefs are due December 20. The case is before U.S. District Court Judge Lynn Adelman, a Clinton appointee. Unlike some other cases, this case has over a dozen voter-plaintiffs who make a compelling case that they cannot obtain the type of ID that the law requires, at least without a substantial cost and effort. Here is a New York Times editorial about the lawsuit. Here is a copy of the Complaint. Thanks to ElectionLaw@Moritz for that link.

D.C. Campaign Finance Office Orders Candidate Not to Spend Any Money Campaigning

Paul Zukerberg, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for District of Columbia Attorney General, says he has been ordered by the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance not to spend any money campaigning. See this story. The D.C. Government argues that even though the voters amended the charter to elect the Attorney General starting in 2014, the government does not intend to hold such an election. Zukerberg has been in federal court and is about to go to the district’s own court to force the election to be held. Thanks to Political Activity Law for the link.