San Francisco Board of Supervisors Vote on July 10 Whether to Ask Voters to Partially Curtail Ranked Choice Voting

Posted on by July 10, 2012
2

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will vote on Tuesday, July 10, on a measure that would ask the voters in November 2012 if they wish to curtail the use of Ranked Choice Voting in Mayoral elections. Public comment is permitted, and the discussion will start at approximately 2:45 p.m. One measure would eliminate Ranked Choice Voting for Mayoral races and substitute a September election. If no one got 65%, there would be a run-off in November.

Another proposal would make the same change, but for all citywide executive positions, not just Mayor. A third proposal would retain RCV for all office, but for Mayor only, if no one got a majority of First Choice votes in November, there would be a December run-off.

Arkansas Democratic Nominee for U.S. House, 3rd District, Withdraws; Race is Now Between Republican, Green, and Libertarian

Posted on by July 9, 2012
3

On July 9, Ken Aden, the Democratic nominee for U.S. House, Arkansas 3rd district, withdrew. As a result, the November ballot will contain three candidates: Republican incumbent Steve Womack, Green nominee Rebekah Kennedy, and Libertarian nominee David Pangrac. See this story, which does not mention Pangrac but which ought to do so. The 3rd district is the northwest corner of the state.

Socialist Party Petitions to Place Two Indiana Legislative Candidates on Ballot

Posted on by July 9, 2012
6

The Indiana Socialist Party says it has collected enough signatures to place two legislative candidates on the November ballot. Both of them will be the only opponents to incumbents who are running for re-election. Ron Haldeman is running for State House, 94th district, against an incumbent Democrat. John Strinka is running for State House, 39th district, against an incumbent Republican. These are the first Socialist Party nominees to appear on the Indiana ballot since 1948.

California Superior Court Upholds New Law, Putting Constitutional Amendment Initiatives on the Ballot Ahead of Other Initiatives

Posted on by July 9, 2012
1

On July 9, a Superior Court Judge upheld a recent California law change that puts constitutional amendment initiatives on the ballot first, and puts ordinary initiatives on the ballot below them. See this story. UPDATE: as a result of the Court ruling, the Secretary of State says that Jerry Brown’s initiative will be Proposition 30, and Molly Munger’s initiative will be Proposition 38. They both raise state income taxes for certain categories of income.

Libertarian Party asks for Rehearing in Case Over Whether Write-ins for Declared Write-in Candidates Must be Counted

Posted on by July 9, 2012
1

On July 9, the Libertarian Party filed this brief, asking for a rehearing in the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, in Libertarian Party v D.C. Board of Elections. This is the case over whether election officials must count write-ins for declared presidential write-in candidates. The 13-page brief is good reading and very powerful.