The U.S. Supreme Court’s web page says the court will continue to function on October 1 through October 4, even if the federal government shuts down. See the court’s web page here; scroll down to “What’s new.” Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
Last year, the Justice Party filed a lawsuit against the Hawaii deadline for newly-qualifying parties. That deadline is in February of the election year. The case is Justice Party v Nago, U.S. District Court, 1:12cv-403. Hawaii is considering whether to re-interpret its law on independent presidential candidate ballot access so that the procedure also includes new political parties. The petition deadline for independent presidential candidates is quite late (early September of the election year).
If the Hawaii law on independent presidential candidates were interpreted to apply equally to the presidential nominees of unqualified parties, that would moot the case. The purpose of the Justice Party’s lawsuit was to get its presidential nominee on the ballot (with the party label), not nominees for other office. If Hawaii does re-interpret its law, then in future presidential elections, new or previously unqualified parties would then be able to place their presidential nominees, with the party label, on the ballot, with a petition that has a deadline in the later summer of election laws.
Evan Falchuk has organized the United Independent Party as a party for Massachusetts only, and he will be that party’s gubernatorial nominee next year. The Sun Chronicle, daily newspaper for Attleboro, has this story about him and the new party.
Salon has this article about Ranked-Choice voting, written by Krist Novoselic. The focus of the article is this year’s New York city elections. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
Lynne Serpe, Green Party nominee for New York city council, 22nd district, in the November 5, 2013 election, has qualified for $50,000 in public funding for her campaign. See this story from her web page.
Other candidates in the same race are Democrat Costa Constantinides, Republican Daniel Peterson, and independent candidate Danielle DeStefano. The district is in western Queens, and is centered on Astoria.
Serpe’s campaign is so active, someone went to the trouble of investigating her, and found out that she owns a small house in New Orleans and that she had registered in New Orleans some time ago to get a tax break, on the grounds that the New Orleans house is her primary residence. She no longer lives there and she has now changed her tax status in New Orleans. Thanks to Michael for this news.
