On March 4, HB 665 was defeated in the New Hampshire House of Representatives by a vote of 56-286. The bill would have lowered the number of signatures for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties. The statewide requirement would have dropped from 3,000 to 1,317.
The 56 Representatives who voted in favor of the bill consist of 52 Republicans and 4 Democrats. The lone independent, Representative David Luneau, voted against the bill. Thanks to Darryl Perry for this news.
On March 4, the House Administration Committee, in the U.S. House of Representatives, passed HR 412. The bill abolishes public funding for presidential candidates. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) and is co-sponsored by Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Virginia). Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.
California holds a special election to fill the vacant State Senate seat, 21st district, on March 17. Only one name is on the ballot, Sharon Runner, a Republican. However, six candidates have filed declarations of write-in candidacy. See this story. Three of the write-in candidates are Democrats, one is a Republican, and two are independents. California still has write-ins in primaries, but not in general elections, for state office and Congress.
The Nevada Secretary of State has released the February 2015 registration tally. See it here. The percentages are now: Democratic 39.64%; Republican 34.46%; Independent American 4.71%; Libertarian .82%; independent and miscellaneous (including Green) 20.37%.
By comparison, in October 2014 the percentages were: Democratic 40.11%; Republican 34.96%; Independent American 4.71%; Libertarian .81%; Green .19%; independent and miscellaneous 19.21%. Thanks to Doug Goodman for the link.
On March 3, the Washington State Senate passed SB 5978, which provides for a presidential primary on the 2nd Tuesday of March. Current law provides for a presidential primary in May, but more times than not the state doesn’t actually hold a presidential primary, for budgetary reasons. Thanks to Jim Riley and Josh Putnam for this news.
