On April 1, Idaho Governor Butch Otter signed SB 1108, which makes it much more difficult for statewide initiatives to get on the ballot. The old law required signatures of 6% of the registered voters, but they could be obtained anywhere. The new law says the 6% threshold standard must be met not only in the state as a whole, but in each of 18 of the 35 legislative districts. Signers will be required to record their legislative district number on the petition.
On March 27, the Oklahoma House Rules Committee passed SB 309, which says that if a presidential elector votes in December for someone other than the expected presidential and vice-presidential candidates, he or she is deemed to have automatically resigned. The bill had passed the Senate unanimously on March 14.
On April 2, the California State Senate Elections Committee passed SB 113, which would expand eligibility for the state’s pre-registration roster. Current California law lets 17-year-olds complete a voter registration card, which is filed in the pre-registration roster. When the individual attains age 18, he or she is automatically placed on the regular voter registration roll.
The bill would expand the procedure to include individuals who are least 15 years old. Several other states have pre-registration procedures, but no state allows anyone to be placed on the rolls as early as 15 years. The vote in the Committee was 4-1.
On April 9, four North Carolina Representatives will introduce a bill to lower the number of signatures for newly-qualifying parties and independent candidates, and to provide for a later deadline. One of the sponsors is the chair of the House Committee that handles election law bills. A press conference about the bill will be held at the Capitol on April 9. Thanks to Kevin Hayes for this news.
On April 2, Tennessee State Senator Jim Kyle, leader of the Democrats in the Senate, introduced SR 37. It is a resolution to create a committee to study the issue of minor party ballot access. The Resolution, if passed, will create a Committee that includes five Senators (appointed by the Senate Speaker), a representative from the Secretary of State, and a representative chosen by the Speaker from the ranks of the Constitution Party, the Green Party, and the Libertarian Party.
The resolution also says that the committee would meet during 2013, would study the ballot access laws of other states, and would make its report by December 1, 2013. Thanks to Daniel Lewis for this news.
