Earlier this month, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office award Americans Elect a trademark for its name. Americans Elect is not the first party to trademark its name. The Washington State Libertarian Party obtained a trademark for its name years ago. That has been an issue in the ongoing legislation over the Washington state top-two system.
On March 10, Guam held its Republican caucus, and Mitt Romney won all nine delegates. See this story. One of Romney’s sons campaigned for his father there. The Santorum campaign was injured because earlier, Santorum had said publicly that all the 9th circuit judges should be exiled to Guam. Thanks to Frontloading HQ for the link.
Two parties, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, are entitled to their own primary in Missouri. Filing has been open for a while, and closes March 27. So far, only six individuals have filed to run for federal and state office in the Libertarian primary, and only two in the Constitution Party primary.
Libertarians are running for Governor, Secretary of State, one U.S. House race, and three State House races. Constitution Party members are running for Lieutenant Governor and one U.S. House race.
Missouri does not permit write-ins in its August primary.
On March 9, Congressman Steve Israel (D-Long Island, New York) introduced HB 4183, which sets uniform hours for federal elections all across the 48 lower states. Election day would be the first Saturday and the first Sunday after the first Friday in November. Poll hours for the lower 48 states would be from 10 a.m. eastern time on Saturday to 6 p.m. eastern time on Sunday. However, states would be free to close the polls on Saturday night, but no earlier than 10 p.m. local time. States would be required to re-open the polls on Sunday morning, no later than 6 a.m. local time.
Alaska and Hawaii would not be covered by the bill, except they too would be required to hold federal elections on the first weekend in November, with polls opening at 10 a.m. local time Saturday and closing Sunday at 6 p.m. Here is the text of the bill.
Maine not only requires a newly-qualifying party to submit a petition signed by 5% of the last gubernatorial vote, for full party status; the state also requires the group to then hold a town caucus in each of Maine’s sixteen counties. This article describes plans for the upcoming Americans Elect in South Portland. The expectation is that only two registered party members will attend.
