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Liberal Party of Canada Uses Ranked-Choice Voting to Choose New Party Leader

Posted on April 11, 2013 by adminApril 11, 2013

The Liberal Party of Canada is choosing the party leader with a party-funded primary that uses ranked-choice voting. Canadians who are members of the Liberal Party, and Canadians who have signed up as “supporters” of the party, are able to vote on-line or by telephone. Six candidates are running. If the Liberal Party wins the next Parliamentary election, then whoever has been chosen as party leader will become Prime Minister. See this story. The vote lasts a week and will be over by April 13. The winner will be announced on April 14. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.

Write-in Candidate Elected Mayor of Alton, Illinois

Posted on April 11, 2013 by adminApril 11, 2013

Alton, Illinois, held city elections on April 9, 2013, and only one name appeared on the ballot for Mayor. However, a candidate who had tried and failed to get on the ballot won the election on write-in votes. See this story. Alton has a population of 27,865. Thanks to Ken Bush for the link.

Maine Supreme Court Again Hears Procedural Arguments on Whether Ralph Nader is Entitled to a Trial Over Democratic Tactics in 2004

Posted on April 10, 2013 by adminApril 10, 2013

On April 10, the Maine Supreme Court again heard oral arguments in Nader v The Maine Democratic Party, Wash-10-678. Here is an article about the arguments. The issue is still whether or not Ralph Nader is entitled to a trial in his case against the Democratic Party and its allies for its behavior in 2004, trying to keep him off the ballot in as many states as possible. Here is another article.

Local Michigan Ordinance, Restricting Political Signs to Twenty Square Feet, Declared Unconstitutional

Posted on April 10, 2013 by adminApril 10, 2013

On April 4, an ordinance of Gaines Township, Kent County, Michigan, restricting political signs to only twenty square feet, was declared unconstitutional. See this story about the case, which was written before the outcome was known. The plaintiff is a farmer, Vern Verduin, who had placed a large political sign on his own truck trailer, which was parked on his own property. The ACLU helped with the lawsuit. It is not known if the decision will be appealed. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.

North Carolina Ballot Access Bill Introduced

Posted on April 10, 2013 by adminApril 10, 2013

On April 10, several North Carolina legislators from both major parties introduced HB 794, to improve ballot access. The bill lowers the number of signatures for newly-qualifying parties, and statewide independent candidates, from 2% of the last gubernatorial vote cast, to one-fourth of 1% of that same base. For 2014, this would reduce the petition from 89,340 signatures to 11,168 signatures.

The bill also moves the petition deadline from mid-May to early July, and lowers the vote test for a party to remain on the ballot from 2% for President or Governor, to one-fourth of 1% for President or Governor. Parties with less than 10% of the voter registration would be permitted to nominate by convention instead of by primary.

Independent candidate petitions for district office would be lowered from 4% of the number of registered voters, to 1%.

If the bill passes as written, the only states that would require more than 50,000 signatures in 2014 for a newly-qualifying party would be California, Georgia, and Oklahoma. Thanks to Brian Irving for the news about the bill.