As noted earlier, the Secretaries of State of Kansas and Arizona have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the 10th circuit, and to force the federal government to use a different type of federal voter registration form in those two states. The case is Kobach v U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 14-1164. The Election Assistance Commission response to the cert petition had been due on April 23, but the deadline has been extended to May 26. This virtually guarantees that the U.S. Supreme Court won’t decide whether to hear this case until the Court comes back from summer recess in October 2015.

Kansas and Arizona want the federal form used in their states to require applicants to attach proof of citizenship, instead of having the applicant sign under penalty of perjury that the applicant is a citizen.

U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro will hold a hearing on April 20, Monday, at 10 a.m., over whether the Republican National Committee should be allowed to intervene in Libertarian Party of New Hampshire v Gardner. The Libertarian Party argues that the intervention came too late, and if it is allowed, the outcome in the case will be delayed. The lawsuit was filed on July 22, 2014.

The issue is the 2014 law that makes it illegal for a group to petition for party status during an odd year. Obviously, the longer it takes to decide the case, the less time there will be to take advantage of the outcome for 2016, assuming the case wins. The Libertarian Party also argues that the Secretary of State and his attorneys are capable of defending the law in court, and the Republican National Committee has nothing valuable to add to the case. Thanks to Darryl Perry for this news.

Arkansas State Senator Gary Stubblefield has withdrawn his SB 389, which would have created a presidential primary on the first Tuesday in March that is separate from the May primary for other office. The bill had passed the State Senate on March 27 by a vote of 20-5. But the chair of the House committee that hears election law bills doesn’t support the bill, and so the author withdrew it. Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news.