On April 18, the Washington state Democratic Party filed this cert petition in the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the Court to hear its appeal against the top-two system. On the same day, the Washington state Libertarian Party filed this cert petition in the same court, also asking that the Court hear the appeal. The Washington state Republican Party did not participate in the appeal.
On April 18, the Virginia legislature unanimously agreed to amend HB 1151 in accord with the wishes of Governor Robert McDonnell. As a result, petitions this year must be based on the new U.S. House districts. The bill says the old district boundaries are also valid, and the bill is now law. The problem is that the Governor influenced the legislature to change the effective date of the bill, from now, to next year, so it is no help this year.
On April 17, the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office said that Americans Elect has enough valid signatures, and that Americans Elect is now a ballot-qualified party. It is not known if the South Dakota Secretary of State also has made a determination as to whether the Constitution Party petition has enough valid signatures.
The Libertarian Party and the two major parties were already ballot-qualified in South Dakota before today.
On April 17, a lower state court heard oral arguments in the lawsuit over Florida’s U.S. House districts. See this story for a description of the arguments on both sides.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch has this editorial, commenting on Governor Bob McDonnell’s requests to the Virginia legislature to alter certain bills that the legislature earlier sent to him. At the end of the editorial, the writer criticizes McDonnell for suggesting that HB 1151 be altered.
HB 1151 passed the legislature unanimously. It said that when U.S. House redistricting is late (as it was this year), ballot access petitions are valid whether they use the old districts or the new districts. The Governor suggested to the legislature that the effective date of the bill be postponed. The legislature had passed it as an urgency bill, to take effect immediately. The Governor wants it effective next year, and also wants presidential petitions to be excluded. The Libertarian Party and the Green Party have already been circulating their presidential petitions, which must contain 400 signatures from each U.S. House district, and if the legislature amends the bill as the Governor wants, those signatures will be wasted. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for the link.
