Scott Lay runs a well-read blog about California politics news called AroundtheCapitol. On June 6 he expressed the opinion that Ontario, California Mayor Paul Leon injured his chances in next month’s special legislative election, by changing his registration from Republican to Independent. Under California’s law governing ballot labels for independent candidates, he must now have the label “no party preference” on the ballot. A lawsuit is currently pending in the 9th circuit, Chamness v Bowen, that challenges the law that requires independent candidates to have that unattractive label on the ballot.

On May 30, Ralph Nader asked the Maine Supreme Court to reconsider its May 23 opinion, which said he is not entitled to a trial in his lawsuit against the Democratic Party and its allies for their behavior in the 2004 presidential election. Here is the motion for reconsideration, which is eleven pages. When the motion talks about “petitioning”, it does not mean the process of circulating a petition to get on the ballot. In this context, “petitioning” means legal activity.

Even if you don’t read the entire document, be sure to read the last two pages.

The June 2013 issue of Z Magazine has this article, making the case that voters worried about climate change should support the Green Party. The piece, by Scott McLarty, includes advocacy of alternate voting systems and chides Democratic Party lawmakers for their disinterest in that subject.