The Kansas deadline for independent candidate petitions has now passed. The only independent presidential candidate who filed a petition is Jill Stein, the Green Party nominee. Assuming her petition is valid, she will be listed as an independent in Kansas.
The only ballot-qualified parties in Kansas are Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Reform, and Americans Elect. The Green Party has never qualified as a party in Kansas.
The Virginia State Board of Elections believes it has found one petitioner from northern Virginia who submitted 146 petition sheets that were forged. This petitioner was circulating the petition to place Constitution Party nominee Virgil Goode on the ballot for President. On August 6 the State Board of Elections asked the Virginia Attorney General to investigate.
The Washington Post, in this article, gives the impression that the problem is bigger than it actually is. Goode has submitted 19,000 signatures already, to meet a goal of 10,000 signatures. Already, last month, the Board had verified 8,000 valid signatures, even before checking the signatures submitted since then. The sheets submitted by the petitioner who allegedly forged names were not part of the 8,000 signatures that had already been verified.
Goode has collected many of his signatures personally this year, something he has done in his past congressional campaigns.
On August 6, the Washington Secretary of State said the Green Party petition is valid. The only petition still unchecked is the Constitution Party’s petition. The Secretary of State says that one won’t be checked until August 13.
On August 6, the Eighth Circuit struck down a St. Louis city ordinance that outlaws conduct, including speech, that has the consequence of impeding vehicular traffic. Stahl v City of St. Louis, 10-3761. The decision is seven pages.
A group put up a sign on an overpass over a freeway. The sign said “911 was an inside job.” The police were called and arrested the sign-holders. The city argued a sign like that would distract drivers and make a traffic accident, or a traffic stall, more likely. The Court said the law is too vague and speech cannot be criminalized when it is impossible for the speakers to know in advance whether their actions are illegal. The decision also notes the original call-in to the police complained about an “offensive” sign, which suggests that if the sign had had a blander message, no enforcement officers would have been called into action. Thanks to HowAppealing for the link.
The Liberal Democrats, part of the governing coalition in Great Britain, have given up trying to pass a bill that would provide for an elected House of Lords. See this story. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
