Vermont Senator Anthony Pollina (Progressive-North Middlesex) has introduced SB 76, which would move the Vermont presidential primary from March to whatever day New Hampshire holds its presidential primary. New Hampshire law says that the New Hampshire presidential primary must be earlier than any other state’s presidential primary.

Vermont requires 1,000 signatures for candidates to get on the presidential primary ballot. However, New Hampshire does not require petitions for presidential primary candidates, and lets anyone on the presidential primary ballot who pays a filing fee of $1,000. If the Vermont legislature wishes to pass SB 76, the legislature would be wise to abolish the petition, because it takes time to process petitions. New Hampshire is able to administer its presidential primary very quickly after the state settles on a date, and part of the reason New Hampshire is so flexible is that it doesn’t require petitions. Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news.

Texas Representative Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) has introduced HB 1214, to move the Texas primary for president and all other office from March to January. No state in U.S. history has ever had its congressional primary so early as January.

Because Texas links its petition deadlines for new parties and non-presidential independents to the date of the primary, if this bill passed, non-presidential independent candidates would need to submit their petition by April 21. Newly-qualifying parties would be required to submit their petitions by April 10. Newly-qualifying parties would also be required to tell the Secretary of State of their intention to petition no later than October of the year before the election, and non-presidential independent candidates would need to file a declaration of candidacy in October of the year before the election as well. Thanks to Jim Riley for this news.

On February 10, officials in St. Louis County, Missouri, agreed to put the Constitution Party’s nominee on the ballot in the special election for County Council, Sixth District. The special election will be April 7; the Constitution Party’s nominee is Cynthia Redburn.

The county charter says that in special elections, only the nominees of the two parties that polled the biggest vote in the state for Governor may run nominees. The party had filed a lawsuit against this provision on January 30, 2015, Constitution Party of Missouri v St. Louis County, e.d., 4:15cv-207. The case was to have had a hearing on February 11, but the day before, the county agreed to list Redburn on the ballot. The U.S. District Court will in the near future consider whether the provision violates the U.S. Constitution. Here is the two-page consent judgment. Thanks to Independent Political Report for this news.