Michigan Supreme Court Won't Hear Socialist Party Ballot Access Case

Posted on by April 27, 2011
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On April 25, the Michigan Supreme Court issued this order, refusing to hear Socialist Party of Michigan v Secretary of State, 142163. The party had complained that Michigan requires almost twice as many signatures for a new party to get on the ballot, than it requires votes for an old party to remain on the ballot. The U.S. Supreme Court had said in Williams v Rhodes in 1968 that states cannot discriminate against new parties, relative to old ones. That decision struck down the Ohio ballot access law for new parties, partly because Ohio required more signatures for a new party to get on than for an old party to remain on.

Fred Karger Fights to Gain Admittance to South Carolina Republican Presidential Debate

Posted on by April 27, 2011
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Fred Karger, a Republican candidate for President, has been excluded from the South Carolina Republican Party’s upcoming presidential debate, even though he is willing to pay the $25,000 and even though he has filed as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission. Apparently the party has refused to permit him into the debate because of the rule that all candidates must be at 1% in a poll. However, Karger has submitted evidence of polls in which he does have at least 1%. See this story.

Ninth Circuit Will Rehear Case on Whether Arizona can Require Proof of Citizenship when Voters Register

Posted on by April 27, 2011
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On April 27, the 9th circuit agree to a rehearing en banc in Gonzalez v State of Arizona, 08-17094. This is the case in which the original panel in the 9th circuit had ruled 2-1 that the federal government’s “Motor Voter Law” precludes states from requiring voters to attach proof of citizenship when they register to vote. The federal law required states to recognize postcard registration forms, unless that state has election-day registration. Arizona’s law, requiring naturalized citizens to attach a copy of their naturalization certificate, seems by many to defeat the purpose of the postcard registration forms, which is to make it easy to register to vote.

The original 9th circuit panel include retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Sometimes retired U.S. Supreme Court justices sit in panels of lower courts. Thanks to Howard Bashman’s How Appealing blog for this news.