On January 27, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Hopkins v Watson, 24-560. This is the Mississippi case on felon voting rights. The original panel of the Fifth Circuit had struck down the ban on ex-felon registration on the basis that the ban violated the Eighth Amendment. But then the Fifth Circuit had reheard the case and reversed its own decision.
The Fourth Circuit will hear Griffin v North Carolina State Board of Elections, 25-1018, on Monday, January 27, at 3:30 p.m. This is the lawsuit over the still undecided North Carolina State Supreme Court Justice race from November 5, 2024. In the Fourth Circuit, the court does not reveal the identity of the three judges until the hearing is about to start.
Last year, independent presidential candidate Shiva Ayyadurai, who was born in India, sued many states over whether he should be on the ballot. He did not win any of his cases, but his Wisconsin case is still pending in the Seventh Circuit. However, the state filed a brief arguing that the case is moot on December 3, 2024, and he has not filed a reply brief. Technically the case is still open. Frank Marshall v Wisconsin Elections Commission, 24-2746.
On January 25, Angela McArdle, Libertarian National Committee chair, said she is resigning. See this report on Independent Political Report.
Oklahoma State Senator Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle), the leader of the State Senate, has introduced SB 656. It would change the composition of the State Election Board. Currently, it has three Republican and two Democratic members. The bill, in effect, would change that to three Republicans, one Democrat, and one individual who is not a member of either major party.
Existing law does not say that Republicans automatically get three seats, but in practice that is inevitable because of the selection process. Thanks to Chris Powell for this news. Here is the text of the bill.
