Cindy Sheehan will accept the Peace & Freedom Party nomination for vice-president, if the convention nominates her for vice-president and if the convention nominates Roseanne Barr for president. The convention is in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, August 4. Sheehan, and also Rocky Anderson, and also Stewart Alexander, will attend the convention. Roseanne Barr cannot attend because she has an unbreakable commitment to work on that same day.
Assuming the Arizona initiative for a top-two open primary has enough signatures, it will be on the November 2012 Arizona ballot this way: Proposition _ (the number has not yet been assigned). Proposed Amendment to the Constitution by the Initiative Relating to Direct Primary Election Law. Replaces the Current Party Primary Election with a “Top-Two” Primary Election in which All the Voters, Regardless of Party Affiliation, Vote in a Single, Combined Primary and the Top Two Vote-Getters for Each Seat Advance to the General Election.”
This description of the measure is fair to both the proponents and the opponents. It is far more fair than the California initiative wording, which was on the ballot as “Primaries. Increases Participation in Primary Elections.”
The Goldwater Institute recently declared that it opposes the Arizona initiative, joining the Arizona League of Women Voters as an opponent. Thanks to Warren Severin for the news about the ballot description.
On July 25, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in the case over whether a particular statewide referendum petition is valid. The state Canvassing Board had invalidated the petition on the grounds that the law requires 14 point type and the petition was printed in 12 point type. The State Court of Appeals had then reversed and had said the petition is valid. Here is an article about the State Supreme Court hearing.
Seth Moulton, an independent with good credentials who considered whether to become an independent candidate for U.S. House in Massachusetts this year, announced on July 26 that he will not run. See this story. The only reason he ever considered running is that the Democratic incumbent, who is running for re-election, has had some embarrassing revelations about himself made public recently. The district is strongly Democratic.
The American Bar Association, Section of State and Local Government Law, has just published the Second Edition of “America Votes!”. It is described as “A Guide to Modern Election Law and Voting Rights.” The second edition, unlike the first edition, contains a chapter on ballot access laws.
The book’s title “America Votes!” should not be confused with the series of election return books published by Congressional Quarterly and authored by Rhodes Cook, which are titled “America Votes”.
