Texas Hearing on Bill to Require Minor Party Candidates to Pay Filing Fees

Posted on by March 19, 2015
2

On March 16, the Texas House Elections Committee heard testimony on HB 464, the bill to require candidates nominated by minor party convention to pay filing fees.  Currently, only candidates running in a partisan primary pay filing fees in Texas.

Mark Miller, from the Libertarian Party, testified against the bill.  Here is a link to his testimony, at his web page.  Also, Kat Swift, from the Green Party, testified against the bill.  The committee meeting had many bills and this bill was one of the last to be heard.  Some members of the committee left early, or drifted in and out of the hearing room while the testimony was being heard.  In Texas, as in most states, committee members do not vote on a bill immediately after hearing testimony.  Any committee vote on the bill will be in the future.  Thanks to Jim Riley for this news.

CNN/ORC Poll Suggests 2016 Presidential Election Will Not be Close

Posted on by March 18, 2015
13

On March 18, CNN/ORC released a poll which includes questions about how voters would vote for President in November 2016.  Scroll down to question 22.  Assuming Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee, she beats most potential Republican nominees by at least 12 points, and in many cases 15 points.  Thanks to Political Wire for the link.

Congressional Bill to Permit Ex-Felons to Register to Vote for Federal Elections

Posted on by March 18, 2015
1

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Representative John Conyers (D-Mi.) have introduced a bill to permit ex-felons to vote in federal elections.  Here is a link to the text of the bill, which does not yet have a bill number.  The bill’s preamble contains a great deal of factual information about the status of ex-felons, relative to voting.

Alabama Bill for an Earlier Primary for All Office in Presidential Years

Posted on by March 18, 2015
1

Alabama State Senator Quinton Ross (D-Montgomery) has introduced SB 240.  It moves the primary for president and all other office, during presidential election years, from the 2nd Tuesday in March to the 1st Tuesday in March.  Even though the bill is re-enacting the law that says runoff primaries are six weeks after the first primary, the bill does not amend that part of the law.  Yet the Eleventh Circuit has already ruled that Alabama is violating federal law by having the primary and the runoff primary so close together.  Perhaps this means that Alabama is planning to ask the U. S. Supreme Court to overturn the Eleventh Circuit decision, United States v State of Alabama.

UPDATE:  the Secretary of State’s office says a bill will be introduced to move the date of the runoff primary.  In the meantime, three Republican Representatives, Mike Ball, Steve McMillan, and David Standridge, have introduced HB 79.  It abolishes runoff primaries.

If SB 240 passes, the petition for newly-qualifying parties and non-presidential candidates will be even earlier than it already is.  Thanks to Josh Putnam for the news about SB 240.

Arizona Republican Legislators Advance Three Bills that they Had Passed in 2013 but then Repealed After Referendum Petition was Filed

Posted on by March 23, 2015
2

In 2013, Republicans in the Arizona legislature passed an omnibus election law bill, HB 2305, that injured voting rights for minor parties, and for Democrats as well.  The Arizona Democratic Party and its allies, especially unions, then mustered the strength to complete a referendum petition against HB 2305.  When the referendum petition succeeded, the Republican majority then repealed their own bill, so that the referendum against the bill was canceled.

This year, Republican legislators are advancing three bills that contained provisions from HB 2305.  This blog has already noted HB 2608, which makes it more difficult for minor party candidates to get on their own party’s primary ballot.  In addition, the Senate has passed SB 1340, which requires individuals who drop off more than 10 absentee ballots at the polls to show a government photo-ID which is then posted on a state web page.  And the House has passed HB 2407, which makes it more difficult for initiatives and referenda to get on the ballot.  See this story.