On February 27, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court will hold an oral argument in Shelby County, Alabama v Holder, 12-96. This is the case that argues Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional. Section five is the part of the act that requires certain states, and certain governmental units within states, to get permission from the U.S. Justice Department before changing any election laws or practices.

Section Five has been upheld several times in the past by the U.S. Supreme Court, but opponents of Section Five argue that it is now obsolete. Recently, many amicus curiae briefs have been filed by opponents of Section Five, including the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Texas. See this web page, which lists all the amicus curiae briefs filed against Section Five. It is very likely that many amicus curiae briefs in support of Section Five will be filed in the next few weeks. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.

Three South Carolina State Senators have introduced SB 2, which would require all candidates for state and local office to file electronic statements of interest. Existing law requires electronic filing only for candidates who are not already public officials. During 2012, 250 candidates who were not already public officials were kept off primary ballots for failure to file electronically. The vast majority of these candidates had filed via paper and had not been informed that they had to file both paper forms and electronic forms.

The sponsors are Chip Campsen (R-Charleston), Larry Martin (R-Pickens) and Ronnie Cromer (R-Prosperity). The bill has already been sent to a Subcommittee.

On January 3, it was revealed that the seven members of the California Assembly Elections Committee will be five Democrats and two Republicans. The chair will again be Assemblyman Paul Fong of Santa Clara County. The other Democrats will be: Raul Bocanegra, from the 39th district in the San Fernando Valley; Rob Bonta, from the 18th district in Oakland; Isadore Hall, from the 64th district in Los Angeles; and Henry T. Perea, from the 31st district in Fresno.

The two Republicans will be: Tim Donnelly, from the 33rd district in San Bernardino County; and Dan Logue, from the 3rd district in Butte County and adjoining counties. If you live in the districts of any of these legislators, you might wish to ask him to introduce a bill restoring write-in space to the general election ballot, or a bill letting any candidate place his or her party on the ballot, or a bill repealing the unconstitutional residency requirement for petition circulators, or a proposed constitutional amendment to repeal the top-two system, or a bill to make it easier for a party to maintain its qualified status, or a bill to lower the number of signatures in lieu of a filing fee. Or anything else that is meaningful to you.