Ninth Circuit Grants Rehearing in Case Involving Privacy for Initiative Proponents

Posted on by October 7, 2014
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On October 7, the Ninth Circuit agreed to rehear Chula Vista Citizens for Jobs v Norris, 12-55726. The original decision, released several months ago, struck down a California law that says the proponents of local initiatives must be named on each petition sheet. The plaintiffs had argued that if people need to know which individuals are sponsoring a local initiative, that information is on file in city or county offices; but that they don’t wish to be listed on each petition sheet. The original decision had been 2-1. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.

Independent Candidate Wins Special Election for St. Louis Alderman

Posted on by October 7, 2014
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On October 7, St. Louis held a special election to fill the vacant seat on the Board of Aldermen, for the 15th district. Four candidates were on the ballot: Democratic nominee Missy Pinkerton-McDaniel; Republican Joshua Simpson; independent Megan Green; and independent Rhonda Smythe. Here is a story about the candidates, a week before the election.

Green won the election, and the other independent, Smythe, placed second. The two independents together polled 80% of the vote.

San Diego Reader Story Shows Recent Financial Gifts to Independent Voters PAC from Big Business

Posted on by October 7, 2014
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This San Diego Reader story shows that Steve Peace’s Independent Voters PAC continues to draw large contributions from big business. Peace has been one of the leading proponents of top-two systems in California.

Meanwhile, the big business interests backing the top-two initiative in Oregon, Measure 90, recently sent $50,000 to the New York city-based Independent Voting, formerly known as the New Alliance Party, for “outreach.”