On April 11, Tennessee officials filed a notice of appeal in the lawsuit Green Party of Tennessee v Hargett. The U.S. District Court had struck down two election laws: (1) the requirement that new parties sign an oath that they don’t advocate the overthrow of the government; (2) that new parties must meet the 5% vote test in their first election, but already qualified-parties only need to meet the vote test every two elections.

The practical effect of the decision, which came out on March 14, was to put the Green Party and the Constitution Party on the ballot for 2014. They had appeared on the ballot for the first time in 2012, but the decision says they are entitled to two tries to meet the 5% vote test.

On April 11, Delaware state officials said they will appeal Delaware Strong Families v Biden. This is the case in which the U.S. District Court struck down a Delaware law, requiring a group that spends at least $500 on disseminating information about candidates in state elections to disclose the names of everyone who gives that group at least $100.

On April 10, the California Poll released a poll for the Secretary of State’s race. The poll was underway before State Senator Leland Yee, a Democratic candidate for Secretary of State, had been arrested. After the arrest, the poll stopped including Yee in the poll. The results without Yee are: Pete Peterson, Republican, 30%; Alex Padilla, Democrat, 17%; David Curtis, Green, 5%; Dan Schnur, independent, 4%; Derek Cressman, Democrat, 3%; Undecided, 41%.

When Yee is included, the results are: Peterson 27%, Padilla 10%, Yee 8%, Curtis 4%, Schnur 4%, Cressman 2%, other 1%, undecided 44%. Here is a link to the poll. Schnur, the independent candidate, is on the ballot as “no party preference” because California’s Proposition 14 and its implementing legislation eliminated the ability of independent candidates to have “independent” as a ballot label.

Curtis has campaigned as an opponent of the top-two system, whereas Schnur is a big supporter of the top-two system. Cressman is also an opponent of the top-two system, but he doesn’t campaign on that issue. The other candidates have not expressed an opinion about the top-two system.

Yee has withdrawn, but his name remains on the ballot, because California (unlike virtually all other states) does not permit candidates to withdraw from the ballot. Thanks to Michael for the link.