The USA Today web page has a six-minute you tube interview with Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of Richmond, California. She is a registered member of the Green Party and she has been elected and re-elected, although the election is non-partisan. The you tube features McLaughlin talking about the city’s plan to use eminent domain to condemn Richmond homes that have mortgages substantially higher than the current value of the house.
On September 27, the Supreme Court of India issued a ruling, saying the Indian Constitution requires that voters be given a chance to case a vote for “None of the above”, when voters are electing candidates to public office. See this story. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
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.
