As of the close of business on Friday, November 21, the Oregon initiative requiring labels for genetically engineered foods is very close. “Yes” is 752,163; “no” is 753,239. With a margin of only 1,076 votes, and many remaining uncounted ballots, it seems somewhat likely a recount will be held. See this story.
On November 4, Constitution Party member Ronnie Broughton was re-elected to the Webster Parish, Louisiana School Board, in a partisan election. Because he was unopposed, that office in his district was omitted from the ballot.
Also on November 4, Constitution Party member Randy Fontenot placed first in a partisan election for Police Chief of Eunice, Louisiana. He was opposed by two Democrats and two Republicans, and got 40.8% of the total vote. Because no one got 50%, he is in the December 6 run-off against a Democrat. He is likely to win because his Democratic opponent only got 23% of the vote in November. Because the Constitution Party is not ballot-qualified in Louisiana, Fontenot’s name was on the ballot with no party label whatsoever next to his name. He is a registered member of the Constitution Party, and in November 2012, was the lead presidential elector candidate for the Constitution Party.
Libertarian Party nominees for partisan office won eight elections on November 4, but only one was contested. In the other races, the number of candidates on the ballot equaled the number of candidates to be elected.
1. Jacob Faught was elected Constable of Benton County, Arkansas, in Township 5.
2. Cheryl Heacox was re-elected to the Clay Township Board in Wayne County, Indiana. Three were to be elected and only three candidates ran (one Libertarian and two Republicans).
3. Stephen Coffman was re-elected to the Liberty Township Board in Henry County, Indiana. Three were to be elected and only three candidates ran (one Libertarian, one Democrat, and one Republican).
4. Tracey Roberts was elected Magistrate of Marshall County, Kentucky.
5. Shannon Denniston was elected Magistrate of Montgomery County, Kentucky
6. William McBride was elected to the Washington, Louisiana town council, in a contested election. He defeated his Republican opponent 81-57.
7. Henry Herford was elected Constable in Justice of the Peace district one in Franklin Parish, Louisiana.
8. Justin Bonnette was elected Justice of the Peace in ward six in Vernon Parish, Louisiana.
On November 20, a special election was held for the British House of Commons. Mark Reckless, the UKIP nominee, won. This is the second House of Commons election that the party has won. See this story. There were five candidates on the ballot. They placed in this order: UKIP, Conservative, Labour, Green, Liberal Democratic.
Three Republican members of the Michigan State House have introduced HB 5956, which would convert Michigan primaries from open to closed. The sponsors are Ray Franz of Onekama, Greg MacMaster of Kewadin, and Bob Genetski of Allegan County. The bill is in the 2013-2014 legislative session, so there is very little time left for this bill to advance. Also, neither MacMaster nor Genetski ran for re-election, so those two won’t be in the 2015-2016 session. MacMaster did run for State Senate but he lost the Republican primary.
Franz and MacMaster also introduced HB 5955, which would provide that major parties nominate for Governor and state legislature by party meeting instead of by direct primary. Already, major parties in Michigan nominate some of the lesser statewide offices by party meeting instead of by primary.
