Gapers Block, an on-line news source for Chicago, has this interesting article by Phil Huckelberry about the upcoming March 18, 2014 Illinois primary. Because the Democratic primary, at least for the important statewide offices (Governor and U.S. Senator) is an unexciting event, it appears many Democratic-leaning groups may encourage Democrats to vote in the Illinois Republican primary.

Illinois does not have registration by party, so it fits the classic definition of an open primary state. Some of the definitions of types of primary in the article don’t correspond to that vocabulary, however. In Illinois, the press seems to think that an open primary is only a primary in which a voter’s choice as to which primary ballot to choose is a secret. In Illinois, a voter must publicly ask for one particular party’s primary ballot at the polling place. Therefore the Illinois press doesn’t describe the existing Illinois system as an open primary.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer has this story, on the extent to which the Libertarian Party is growing stronger in Ohio.

On February 7, the New Mexico Senate Rules Committee passed SB 125, with only one “no” vote. It makes several ballot access improvements: (1) moves the petition deadline for a newly-qualifying party from April to late June; (2) lowers the number of signatures in midterm years for a different type of petition, a “nominee” petition; (3) sets up a procedure, a petition of one-half of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, for an unqualified party to appear on the November ballot for president only.

The petition referred to in (2) above is a unique New Mexico type of petition. After a ballot-qualified minor party nominates candidates, then each nominee (except presidential nominees) must collect the signatures of 1% of the last vote cast. The bill lowers the number in midterm years, by making the number of signatures equal to 1% of the last gubernatorial vote. This change has no effect in presidential years, but would lower the 2014 (and other midterm years) from approximately 8,000 signatures for a statewide office, to approximately 6,000.