DemocracyNow “Expands” the Commission on Presidential Debates Again; This Time Virgil Goode Also Participates with Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson

DemocracyNow! and its hostess, Amy Goodman, again covered a Commission on Presidential Debates event by letting some minor party presidential candidates answer the same questions that the two major party nominees answered. This is the second time DemocracyNow! has done this. The first time, Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson participated. On October 17, they were joined by Virgil Goode. See this link.

North Dakota Voter Sues to Overturn Ban on Speech About Candidates on Election Day

On October 16, a North Dakota voter sued the Secretary of State to overturn a North Dakota law that makes it a crime “to ask, solicit, or in any manner try to induce or persuade any voter on an election to vote or refrain from voting for any candidate or the candidates or ticket of any political party or any measure submitted to the people.” The law is found in the election law at 16.1-10-06. The law exempts bumper stickers and billboards.

There is no doubt that this lawsuit will prevail. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1966 struck down an Alabama law that made it illegal for a newspaper to run an editorial supporting or opposing any candidate on election day. The lawsuit is Emineth v Jaeger, 1:12-cv-139. It is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland. Thanks to the Center for Competitive Politics for this news. Here is the complaint.

Florida Green Party Legislative Nominee Endorsed by AFL-CIO and Local Democratic Party

Only two candidates are on the ballot for Florida State House, district 12, in Jacksonville: Republican incumbent Lake Ray and Green Party nominee Karen Morian. Morian has been endorsed by the Florida AFL-CIO, Duval Democrats, Jacksonville Young Democrats, Florida NOW, and other influential groups. Here is a link to the Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville’s daily newspaper) web page that has information about both candidates.