Thomas Taschinger, editorial page editor of the Beaumont, Texas Enterprise, says here that if the National Popular Vote Plan were in effect, Republicans would be more likely to win presidential elections.
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On April 25, the Seventh Circuit upheld Chicago’s ballot access, that candidates for citywide office need 12,500 signatures. Other restrictions are that the signatures must be gathered within 90 days and that no one can sign for more than one candidate for a particular office.
Chicago holds non-partisan elections for its own offices. Here is the 15-page decision in Stone v Board of Election Commissioners, 13-2733.
According to this story, U.S. Senator Rand Paul was asked by a member of the audience if he would support the Libertarian Party nominee in 2016 if he doesn’t get the Republican nomination. Paul said that he expected to support the Republican nominee and said he had never endorsed a Libertarian Party nominee. But the questioner then reminded him that he had indeed endorsed Ron Paul, the Libertarian presidential nominee in 1988, and Paul at that point acknowledged this point.
Rand Paul was 25 in 1988. He attended the Seattle national convention of the Libertarian Party (held in September 1987) and worked on his father’s presidential campaign that year.
On April 25, Lorence Wenke, who was a Michigan State Representative 2002-2008, announced that he will seek the Libertarian nomination for State Senate. See this story. Wenke was also on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners 1994-2002. In his past election races, he was the Republican nominee. He has left the Republican Party because it continues to oppose same-sex marriage.
The Michigan Libertarian Party nominates by convention. The nominating convention is set for May 17 in Howell.
On April 26, a Montana state trial court removed Lawrence Van Dyke from the June 3 primary ballot, for the non-partisan election for Supreme Court Justice. As a result, only one candidate for that office, the incumbent, remains on the ballot. See this story. It is expected that Van Dyke will appeal to the State Supreme Court.
The basis for the decision is that the Montana Constitution requires candidates for judge to have been a active member of the Montana bar for the preceding five years. Van Dyke has been a member of the Montana bar continuously, but during part of the recent five-year period, he was on inactive status. Thanks to Mike Fellows for the link.