An initiative to create a top-two system for Florida has started to circulate. Progressive Campaigns is the paid petitioning company that is doing the drive. Here is a newspaper story about the initiative.
Florida initiatives need 60% of the vote in order to take effect.
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.
The Marijuana Party, which seems to be a party organized only in Nebraska, is petitioning to get on the 2016 ballot. The party needs 5,395 valid signatures by August 1, 2016. If it completes the petition by February 1, 2016, it can have its own primary.
Arkansas State Senator Gary Stubblefield has withdrawn his SB 389, which would have created a presidential primary on the first Tuesday in March that is separate from the May primary for other office.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.
On April 16, five British political party leaders debated each other. Last week seven had appeared. See this story about the April 16 debate.
