Mexico holds an election on June 7 for Congress and for Governor of nine states. According to this story, independent candidate Jamie Rodriguez is leading in the polls for Governor of Nuevo Leon State. If he wins, he will be the first independent ever elected Governor of a Mexican state.
U.S. District Court Judge Andrea Robin Wood has again postponed a decision in Libertarian Party of Illinois v Illinois State Board of Elections, n.d., 1:12cv2511. The issue is the state’s unique law that says newly-qualifying parties must run a full slate of candidates.
The case was filed in 2012 and still hasn’t had a decision on whether the law is constitutional or not. Earlier the case had been assigned to Judge Joan B. Gottshall, who enjoined the law and said it is probably unconstitutional. Then Judge Wood was appointed by President Obama. When new judges are appointed, cases are transferred from already-sitting judges to the new judges, to even out the workload and give the new judges some work.
Judge Wood said on February 12, 2015, that she would rule by March 11. But on March 10 she postponed her decision to March 24. Then, on March 23, she postponed it to March 28. No decision was released. On April 6, Judge Wood said she would have it out by April 16. But on April 16 she said she did not have it ready, but that it would probably be out by April 30, and definitely before a status conference to be held May 14. But on May 13 she cancelled the status conference, and the decision still has not been released.
Chevy Chase, Maryland, held an election for city council on May 7. Two incumbents were running for re-election and were the only names on the ballot. They were Pat Burda and John Bickerman. A write-in candidate decided to run the week before the election. Although write-in candidates for Maryland federal and state office must file a declaration of write-in candidacy in advance of the election, there is no requirement in Chevy Chase elections that write-in candidates file a declaration of write-in candidacy.
The write-in candidate, Fred Cecere, chose to campaign by only telling people who already supported him that he was running. The incumbent who was defeated did not even realize she had a write-in opponent until late on election day. The vote was: Bickerman 228, Cedere 168, Burda 119.
Back in the 1850’s, before there were government-printed ballots, the American Party often campaigned for its nominees in secret. Voters could make their own ballot, but most voters chose a ballot printed by the party. The American Party would sometimes conduct no publicity for its nominees, but would distribute its ballots to votes whom it knew were supportive. Cecere’s write-in victory has promoted criticism that his secret campaign was unethical. Thanks to Doug McNeil for the news.
This Washington Post story says the Republican National Committee is struggling with the decision of which Republicans can be invited into the party’s first presidential debate. That debate will be August 6. There are at least 15 Republicans who are at 1% or better in polls. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.
On May 11, the Nevada Senate passed SB 421. It switches Nevada from a caucus state to a presidential primary state. The primary would be in late February, and the bill moves the primary for all other office to February as well. If the bill becomes law, Nevada would have the nation’s earliest primaries for Congress. Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news.
