The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Arizona v Inter Tribal Council at its October 5 conference. This is the lawsuit, formerly named Gonzalez v Arizona, over whether Arizona can require extra information when individuals who are registering to vote use the federal postcard voter registration form. The federal form does not ask for proof that the applicant is a U.S. citizen (other than the applicant’s signature, signed under penalty of perjury). Arizona law requires that such proof be attached when individuals register to vote. The Ninth Circuit had ruled that Arizona is not free to (in effect) amend the federal form with additional requirements. In the U.S. Supreme Court, the case is 12-71. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this information.

When the Ninth Circuit heard this case, one of the three judges was retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Occasionally retired U.S. Supreme Court Justices sit on U.S. Court of Appeals panels.

On the evening of September 19, the U.S. House passed HB 5912 by a vote of 310-95. This is the bill to end public funding for national party conventions. The only parties that have ever received public funding to pay for their national conventions have been the Democratic and Republican Parties in years 1976 through 2012, and also the Reform Party received such funding in 2000. The FEC later determined that much of the money sent to the Reform Party for its 2000 national convention had not been spent properly. The FEC asked for repayment, but that repayment was never made, because by the time the court proceedings over repayment were over, the Reform Party had virtually no assets.

The vote in the House needed 2/3rds, and the bill did receive 2/3rds. Every Republican who voted voted “Yes”. Democrats split on the issue, with 85 Democrats voting “yes” and 95 Democrats voting “no”, and ten Democrats not voting.

The Michigan Secretary of State has acknowedged that Gary Johnson is a declared write-in presidential candidate, and his write-ins will be counted. Meanwhile, the Michigan Libertarian Party is still trying to persuade the Sixth Circuit to print the name of Gary Johnson of Texas on the ballot. On September 19 a panel of the Sixth Circuit had denied any relief, two hours before the party had even filed its response brief. The party has asked for a rehearing. The state has never said why it won’t print Jim Gray, the party’s vice-presidential nominee, on the ballot.

Meanwhile, a Glengarrif Poll sponsored by the Detroit News and WDIV shows that the presidential vote in Michigan is 52% for President Obama and 38% for Mitt Romney. See this story.