Angus King Overwhelmingly Leads for U.S. Senate in Maine

Posted on by June 18, 2012
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This poll shows that Angus King is overwhelmingly ahead in the U.S. Senate race in Maine this year. King is an independent candidate. No independent candidate for U.S. Senate from Maine has ever before received as much as 10% of the vote. Assuming King is elected, and assuming Bernie Sanders is re-elected in Vermont as an independent this year, that will make five instances in which someone who was not the Democratic or Republican nominee has won a U.S. Senate race in the period 2006 through 2012.

The other three were Lisa Murkowski in 2010, and Sanders and Joseph Lieberman in 2006. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.

Fourth Circuit Rules Against Virginia on Whether Rejected Voter Registration Applications are Public

Posted on by June 18, 2012
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On June 15, the U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th circuit, ruled that if an organization or an individual wishes to see copies of voter registration applications for voters whose attempt to register failed, then election officials must release such applications to whomever wishes to see them.

Virginia election officials were refusing a request by Project Vote to examine the voter registration records of students at Norfolk State University who had tried to register during 2008, but who were not allowed to register. Project Vote encourages voter registration, and believed that the students were improperly being denied the ability to register. In order to make a case, Project Vote asked to see the voter registration records, but election officials refused. The 4th circuit agreed with the U.S. District Court that the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (“motor voter”) mandates that such forms be made available if a group or individual wishes to examine them. The case is Project Vote v Long, 11-1809. Here is the 17-page decision. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.

U.S. Supreme Court Postpones Decision on Whether to Hear Montana Campaign Finance Case

Posted on by June 18, 2012
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The U.S. Supreme Court considered whether or not to hear American Tradition Partnership v Bullock at its June 14 conference. But, on the morning of June 18, the Court did not release any decision about whether it will hear the case. Instead, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider that case again at its June 21 conference. If it makes a decision at the June 21 conference, the public won’t hear what was decided until June 25.

The case arose in Montana. On December 30, 2011, the Montana Supreme Court had upheld that state’s ban on independent expenditures by corporations and unions, even though the Montana Supreme Court’s opinion seems to contradict the U.S. Supreme Court 2010 decision Citizens United v Federal Election Commission. The people who had sued Montana are now hoping the U.S. Supreme Court will reverse the Montana Supreme Court.

Kansas Democrat May be Kept off Primary Ballot Because Secretary of State’s Office Can’t Find his Declaration of Intent

Posted on by June 17, 2012
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Larry Meeker is the only Democrat who filed for the Kansas State House seat, 17th district. He says staff of the Kansas State House Democratic leader filed his declaration of candidacy in the Secretary of State’s office on the deadline, June 11. But the Secretary of State’s office says it can’t find the form and that he will not be on the ballot. See this story. Meeker is appealing the decision to an administrative body that has the power to alter the decision.

Normally the Kansas primary filing deadline would have been June 1, but it was delayed because of redistricting challenges. The primary is August 7. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for the link.