On September 19, the California Poll released the results of its recent presidential poll. The results are: President Obama 58%, Mitt Romney 34%, other 2%, undecided 6%.

The pollster read this question to respondents: “If the presidential election were being held today would you vote for the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden or the Republican ticket of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan?” This wording, of course, suggests that they are the only candidates. The “other” percentage might have been higher if the poll question had been different. To see the poll wording, scroll down to the bottom of the report.

The poll also suggests that independent voters are far more likely to have responded “other” than any other type of voters. Only 3% of registered Democrats are supporting “other” or are undecided; only 8% of registered Republicans are in those category; but 16% of the voters registered outside the two major parties chose one of those two categories.

The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on HB 5912 on Wednesday, September 19. This is a bill to end public funding for the national conventions of political parties. A similar bill already passed the U.S. Senate earlier this year. Thanks to the Center for Competitive Politics for this news.

On September 17, the Ninth Circuit struck down Montana’s ban on party endorsements of judicial candidates. Montana elects its judges in non-partisan elections. The decision is Sanders County Republican Central Committee v Bullock, 12-35543. The decision is written by U.S. District Court Jed Rakoff of New York, who is visiting the 9th circuit and participating in its work; he is a Clinton appointee. The other judges are Mary Schroeder, a Carter appointee; and Ronald Gould, a Clinton appointee.

Judge Schroeder dissented. Here is her dissent.