Two of the largest newspapers in Great Britain, the Telegraph and the Guardian, together with YouTube, are willing to sponsor five-party debates for the upcoming British Parliamentary election. See this story. The BBC has refused to include the Green Party, but the new potential hosts are willing to include it.
On January 9, U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson issued a procedural order in Libertarian Party of Ohio v Husted, s.d., 2:13-cv-953. This is the case in which the Libertarian Party is challenging the definition of “political party” passed by the Ohio legislature in November 2013. This is also the case in which the Libertarian Party tried to get its gubernatorial candidate on its own primary ballot in May 2014, but failed.
The new ruling refuses to award sanctions against the Libertarian Party’s attorney. The party’s attorney had used discovery to learn that the individual who challenged the Libertarian Party’s primary petition did not know who was paying his attorney. The party’s attorney further used discovery to find out who was paying the legal bills for the challenger. The attorney for the challenger then tried to persuade the court that the party’s attorney should be punished for his skillful work ferreting out the truth.
On January 9, U.S. District Court Judge Sim Lake, a Reagan appointee, enjoined a Houston, Texas ordinance that makes it illegal for candidates to ask for, or receive, contributions earlier than February 1 of the election year. Here is the opinion in Gordon v City of Houston, 4:14cv-3146, southern district. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
Arizona Representative Phil Lovas (R-Peoria) has introduced HB 2015, which would move the date of Arizona’s presidential primary to the same date on which the Iowa presidential caucuses are held.
On January 6, Georgia held special elections to fill the vacant seats in the State House, in district 50 and district 120. Georgia special elections do not involve party nominees; instead individuals run, and are free to choose any party label, whether the party is qualified or not.
Here is a link to the returns. The district 50 race was between three Republicans, a Libertarian, and an independent. The district 120 race was between five Republicans.
