Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, holds a partisan election for city office on November 5, 2013. Three independent candidates are being challenged because their petitions did not list any members of the “Substitution Committee.” Pennsylvania independent candidate petitions historically give the candidate or the minor party a chance to list members of this committee, just in case one of the candidates on the petition resigns. The substitution committee then has the authority to choose another candidate or candidates. This is how minor parties typically handle their presidential and vice-presidential petitions, because often the parties haven’t chosen their actual presidential and vice-presidential nominees when the petitioning period starts.

The three 2013 Harrisburg independent candidates are being challenged on the basis that they didn’t list any members of their substitution committees. The candidates say there is no logical need to require a substitution committee. If they choose not to run, they have no desire to have someone else replace them. See this story.

On August 8, Alabama officials said two special legislative primaries will be held on October 8, to fill the vacant State House seats in the 74th district (Montgomery) and 104th district (Mobile). Astonishingly, the deadline for independent candidates and newly-qualifying parties for these special elections will be August 20. The law requires petitions of 3% of the last gubernatorial vote.

The special elections themselves will not be until December 3 (if no run-off primary is needed) or not until January 14, 2014 (if run-off primaries will be needed, which is likely). See this story. Alabama petition deadlines for independent and minor party candidates are usually the same day as the primary, so the schedule seems not only contrary to the statutory law, but contrary to legal precedents that require states to either reduce the number of signatures in special elections (because there is less time to collect the signatures) or give more time.

The Constitution Party intends to enter the 104th district race, and is very likely to sue to overturn the ballot access requirements for these two special elections.

Louisiana will hold a special election for U.S. House, Fifth district, on October 19. Candidates must qualify by paying a filing fee sometime between August 19 and August 21. The vacancy is due to the resignation of Congressman Rodney Alexander. The district is physically large and includes virtually all of northeast Louisiana.

In November 2012, the vote in this district was: Alexander, Republican, 202,536; independent candidate Ron Ceasar, 37,486; Libertarian Clay Grant, 20,194. Thanks to Randall Hayes for this news.