The Clemson University student weekly newspaper, The Tiger News, has this column by Joshua Rooks, advocating that a new major political party arise in the United States. The Tiger News, founded in 1907, is the oldest student-run newspaper in South Carolina.
On April 19, the Montana legislature passed SB 408, which provides that the November 2014 ballot will ask voters if they wish to pass a top-two primary system. The vote was 29-20. Because this is just a measure to put a question on the ballot, it does not need to go to the Governor.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of State’s omnibus election law bill, HB 120, which was introduced months before SB 408, still hasn’t passed the legislature. It has passed each house, but the versions were different, and a conference committee will work on producing a single version of the bill.
On April 18, the Tennessee Senate unanimously passed SR 37, which sets up a Senate commission to study ballot access for minor parties. Read it here. Because this is just a Senate study, the resolution is now passed; there is no involvement with the House or the Governor.
On April 19, election officials in San Mateo County, California, discovered 65 ballots from November 2012 that had been cast, but never counted. See this story. Thanks to AroundtheCapitol for the link.
On April 18, Alabama SB 405 passed the Senate Constitution, Campaign Finance, Ethics & Elections Committee by a vote of 4-2. It would provide that voter registration forms ask voters to choose a party. This would make it possible for parties to close their primaries. Alabama has always had open primaries. Thanks to Michael Drucker for this news.
