U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) will soon introduce a bill to require states to let individuals register to vote on-line. See this story. The U.S. Constitution will require the bill to apply only to federal elections. If the bill were to pass, though, it is likely that states would then make that procedure applicable to all elections, rather than creating a dual list of registered voters. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
This op-ed by Michael Smerconish in the Philadelphia Inquirer is partly an opinion piece, but it is also a news story. The bottom half of the column quotes Frank Fahrenkopf, Jr., co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, as saying the CPD is studying whether to eliminate the rule that says no one outside the two major parties may participate unless he or she is at 15% in the polls in early September.
On April 7, Milwaukee held non-partisan elections for School Board and other office. Wendell J. Harris, an activist in the Socialist Party for many years, was elected to the Board, defeating an incumbent. Harris was also the Socialist Party candidate for Mayor of Milwaukee in 2000. He is a vice chair of the NAACP of Milwaukee. See this story. The vote was: Harris 3,467; Jeff Spence 2,053. Thanks to Stephen Hauser for the news.
On Saturday morning, former Republican Congressman Vin Weber of Minnesota appeared on CNN and argued in favor of expanding entry into the general election presidential debates. Here is the transcript, as reported by Independent Political Report.
Weber is currently an advisor to Jeb Bush.
The Washington state legislature adjourned Friday evening, April 24. SB 5978, which had passed the Senate, did not pass the House. Therefore, the law providing for a mid-May presidential primary remains on the books, but it will probably not be held. In 2012 the Washington primary was cancelled for budgetary reasons, and because the two major parties preferred to use caucuses instead.
Washington state Democrats have already said they will use caucuses in 2016. The legislature comes back into special session on April 29 so it is possible the presidential primary will be brought up then.
SB 5978 would have provided for a March 8 presidential primary.
