One of the most interesting U.S. House races in California in 2014 is the 33rd, where incumbent Henry Waxman is not running for re-election. On April 13, the first debate in that race was held by the Pacific Palisades Democratic Club. Not surprisingly, the Club, being an arm of the Democratic Party, only invited Democrats into that debate. There are 18 candidates on the ballot, including ten Democrats. The Club only invited the four Democrats who have raised at least $200,000: Ted Lieu, Wendy Greuel, Matt Miller, and David Kannoth.

Independent candidate Marianne Williamson has raised several hundred thousand dollars, but she was not invited because she is not a Democrat. This event illustrates one of the many faults with a top-two system held for a partisan office. Williamson has an uphill battle placing first or second in the top-two primary being held June 3; polls suggest the top two spots will go to Lieu and Greuel. Obviously, being excluded from debates does not help Williamson.

Here is the final brief in the Sixth Circuit in Libertarian Party of Ohio v Husted, 14-3230. It makes good use of the April 2 U.S. Supreme Court decision McCutcheon v FEC, and good use of a March 31 decision of a U.S. District Court in Delaware in another disclosure case, Delaware Strong Families v Biden. Also, it makes good use of the Ohio government’s recent brief in the pending U.S. Supreme Court case Susan B. Anthony List v Driehaus, where the issue is Ohio’s law criminalizing making false statements about a candidate or ballot measure that is designed to influence voters.

On April 11, a Massachusetts state court heard arguments in the case over whether Mark Fisher really received enough votes at the Republican Party state convention to qualify to petition for the primary ballot. See this story. Massachusetts election law says any qualified party member may petition for a place on a party primary ballot. But Republican Party rules, as well as Democratic Party rules, say no one may petition unless the individual received at least 15% of the vote at the state convention. Fisher received over 15% at the Republican convention last month if one doesn’t count blank votes, but he only received 14.765% if blanks votes are included. The Republican Party takes the position that Fisher did not qualify.

A decision is likely during the coming week, according to the news story. Even if Fisher wins the lawsuit, he will then still need 10,000 signatures of registered independents and registered Republicans in order to get on the September 9 primary ballot.