On May 9, the Ninth Circuit struck down Arizona laws that prohibit candidates for state judge to engage in certain forms of political activity. The decision in Wolfson v Concannon, 11-17634, says that the state cannot prevent candidates for judge from soliciting campaign contributions, making speeches on behalf of a political party or on behalf of another candidate, or endorsing another candidate.

The decision leaves intact laws that prohibit sitting judges from doing those things. The decision was 2-1. The dissenting judge would have struck down only the ban on raising money, but left the other prohibitions intact.

Only the smaller counties in Arizona elect trial court judges. They are elected on a partisan basis.

On May 12, Gallup released this poll, which asks voters if they are enthusiastic about voting in 2014, relative to how enthusiastic they usually are about voting. The results show a smaller percentage of voters say they are enthusiastic than for any previous midterm election going back to 1994. It appears Gallup did not do this poll in years before 1994. Thanks to Politico for the link.

Political Science Professor Keith Smith has this article about how California’s top-two system has greatly reduced the number of minor party candidates, and also threatened them with losing their qualified status.