The Oklahoma bill to double candidate filing fees, SB 76, is dead for the year. Although it had passed the Senate, it never advanced through the policy committee in the House, and it is now too late for it to do so. Thanks to E. Zachary Knight for this news.
On April 11, the Illinois House passed HJRCA 18, which would abolish the office of Lieutenant Governor. If it became law, and the Governorship became vacant, the Attorney General would become Governor. The vote was 83-28. If it also passes the Senate, the voters would vote on it in 2014. The motivation is to save money. Thanks to Ken Bush for this news.
Wisconsin repealed the straight-ticket device in 2011. This Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story says that the change in the 2012 election was helpful to incumbent Republican legislators. Thanks to Rick Kissell for the link.
On April 9, a member of the Illinois Libertarian Party, Chris Jenner, was elected to the McHenry County College Board of Trustees. The district includes not only McHenry County, but parts of Boone, Kane, and Lake Counties. Voters elected candidates to three at-large posts. Twelve candidates ran, and Jenner placed second. See this post about Jenner at the Libertarian Party’s web page. Thanks to IndependentPoliticalReport for this news.
On April 11, the 9th circuit refused to rehear Libertarian Party of Los Angeles County v Bowen, 11-55316. This is the case over California’s law that won’t let petitioners circulate a candidate petition if the circulator doesn’t live in the candidate’s district. The original Ninth Circuit opinion, issued on March 6, said that the plaintiffs do have standing. The state then asked for a rehearing en banc, arguing strenuously that the plaintiffs do not have standing. But not a single judge of the Ninth Circuit voted to rehear the case. Here is the order.
Now the case will go back to U.S. District Court. The U.S. District Court had ruled that the plaintiffs don’t have standing. There is also a bill pending in the legislature to repeal all residency requirements for petitioners, and if that bill is signed into law, the case will be moot.
