In at least ten U.S. House races in November 2014, the losing major party nominee spent at least $1,000,000 more than the other major party nominee. Some of the incumbents who lost are on this list. See the list here. Thanks to the Center for Competitive Politics for the link.
Chicago alderman JoAnn Thompson died on February 9. She had been running for re-election in the February 24 non-partisan city election, so naturally her name was already on the ballot. The Board of Elections is removing her name from the electronic ballots, but some votes will have already been cast for her by early voters. Those votes will be tallied, but voters on election day will not find her name on the ballot. See this story. Thanks to Electionline for the link.
On February 12, U.S. District Court Judge Andrea Wood held a status conference in Libertarian Party of Illinois v Illinois State Board of Elections, n.d., 1:12cv-2511. This is the case that challenges the requirement that a newly-qualifying party must run a full slate of candidates. The case had been filed in April 2012. Judge Wood said she will try to put out a decision in the next seven days. The case has been delayed because it has repeatedly been re-assigned from one judge to another. This is something that U.S. District Courts do when a new judge begins to work. The new judge is always given some old cases that had previously belong to another judge, but that has happened twice in this case.
On February 12, the Democratic National Committee announced that the July 2016 national Democratic convention will be in Philadelphia. The last party that chose its presidential nominee in Philadelphia was the Republican Party, which met there in 2000.
On January 30, a trial court in San Diego County, California, refused to enjoin the city of Del Mar from holding an internet election on an advisory ballot measure. The court allowed the election to go ahead, despite the California election code, because the measure is only to gage public opinion and has no legal effect. The case is Mohns v City of Del Mar. Here is a link to commentary by the attorney for the voter who tried to stop the election, decrying the outcome. Here is an article that explains how the city is conducting the election. Every resident of Del Mar receives a unique passcode from the city. The election asks voters to indicate a preference for one of three proposed designs for a new city hall. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link to the commentary.
