On November 8, 2011, Pennsylvania voters will elect two statewide judges in partisan races. There is one race for Superior Court and one race for Commonwealth Court. Both are statewide posts.

The number of signatures needed for minor party and independent candidates to get on the November 2012 ballot for statewide office depends on the November 8, 2011 turnout. The 2012 petition requirement will equal 2% of the highest vote-getter’s vote among the four 2011 statewide major party candidates.

In November 2009, the Pennsylvania turnout for the statewide partisan judicial races was extremely low. As a result, the number of signatures needed in 2010 was only 19,082 signatures. Normally the requirement in Pennsylvania is approximately 25,000 signatures.

On November 7, a 3-judge U.S. District Court in Texas issued an order, providing for somewhat later candidate filing deadlines for the Texas March 2012 primary. Candidates for all offices (including the presidential primary) now will file between November 28, 2011, and December 15, 2011. The old filing period had been November 12 to December 12. The case is Perez v State of Texas, western district, 11-cv-360.

The reason for the order is that the boundaries of the legislative districts may be invalidated by another 3-judge court in Washington, D.C. Having a somewhat later filing deadline gives more time for everyone to know what the district boundaries will be. Thanks to Tony Roza for this news.

Missouri is holding presidential primaries on February 7 for the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, and Constitution Parties. The Republican Party of Missouri has already said that the presidential primary results will not be used to determine the national convention delegates. Instead the Republican Party will choose delegates at caucuses in March.

Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, a Democrat, has this op-ed in the Kansas City Star, urging voters to vote, even though the Republican primary is just a beauty contest. However, her op-ed does not say that if the Missouri Republican Party were to use the primary, it would be in violation of national party rules and would run the risk of losing half its delegates.

Missouri will print up presidential primary ballots for each of the qualified parties, even if no one files in any particular party’s primary. Missouri permits write-ins in presidential primaries. To get on the ballot, a candidate must pay $1,000. So far, no one has signed up for the presidential primary ballots of the Democratic, Libertarian or Constitution Parties, but filing doesn’t close until November 22. Republicans who have already filed for the “beauty contest” primary so far are Herman Cain, Gary Johnson, Michael Meehan, Mitt Romney, and Rick Perry. Thanks to Nancy Hanks for the link.