This article reveals that Idaho voters are starting to fill out voter registration-related forms that identify a political party. Idaho hasn’t had registration by party for almost 90 years, but last year the legislature established a procedure by which voters do register into a party.
On May 10, a U.S. District Court in South Carolina heard oral arguments in the case to restore 180 Democratic and Republican candidates for state and local office to the June 12 primary ballot. See this story. There is no resolution yet. The idea of postponing the primary was discussed.
On May 10, the Oregon Secretary of State determined that the Americans Elect petition for party status has enough valid signatures. Thanks to Dan Meek for this news.
U.S. District Court Judge Percy Anderson has set a hearing date for Justice Party & Constitution Party v Bowen, the California lawsuit that challenges the January deadline for newly-qualifying parties to finish qualifying for the ballot. The judge expedited the case. The hearing is at 1:30 p.m. on May 21. The case is Justice Committee and Constitution Party v Bowen, central district, 2:12-cv-3956.
On May 9, the Alabama ballot access improvement bill, SB 15, passed the House Constitution and Elections Committee by a unanimous vote. The bill cuts the number of signatures for newly-qualifying parties, and independent candidates, from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1.5%. It has no effect on the presidential independent procedure, which is already substantially easier than the other types of petition. See this story.
