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Congressional Bill to Set Uniform Poll Hours for Federal Elections

Posted on March 9, 2012 by adminMarch 9, 2012

On March 9, Congressman Steve Israel (D-Long Island, New York) introduced HB 4183, which sets uniform hours for federal elections all across the 48 lower states. Election day would be the first Saturday and the first Sunday after the first Friday in November. Poll hours for the lower 48 states would be from 10 a.m. eastern time on Saturday to 6 p.m. eastern time on Sunday. However, states would be free to close the polls on Saturday night, but no earlier than 10 p.m. local time. States would be required to re-open the polls on Sunday morning, no later than 6 a.m. local time.

Alaska and Hawaii would not be covered by the bill, except they too would be required to hold federal elections on the first weekend in November, with polls opening at 10 a.m. local time Saturday and closing Sunday at 6 p.m. Here is the text of the bill.

Newspaper Describes How Americans Elect is Complying with Maine Ballot Access Law

Posted on March 9, 2012 by adminMarch 9, 2012

Maine not only requires a newly-qualifying party to submit a petition signed by 5% of the last gubernatorial vote, for full party status; the state also requires the group to then hold a town caucus in each of Maine’s sixteen counties. This article describes plans for the upcoming Americans Elect in South Portland. The expectation is that only two registered party members will attend.

Governing Magazine Article on How State Officials Abuse Power to Summarize Ballot Measures

Posted on March 9, 2012 by adminMarch 9, 2012

Josh Goodman has this article in Governing Magazine, showing how state officials who have the authority to write the title and summary of ballot measures (determining what language appears on the ballot) sometimes abuse that power.

Although Goodman does not mention the instance of California’s Proposition 14, he might have done so. Proposition 14 was on the ballot in June 2010 in California, and it imposed the top-two system. The initiative was on the ballot as “Elections. Increases Right to Participate in Primary Elections.”

Mark Siegel Suggests Republican National Convention Credentials Committee Might Unseat Some Florida and Arizona Romney Delegates

Posted on March 9, 2012 by adminMarch 9, 2012

Mark Siegel, an expert in national party convention rules, has this column in Huffington Post, suggesting that if fewer than half the delegates at the Republican national convention are loyal to Mitt Romney, the convention credentials committee might very well unseat some of the Arizona and Florida delegates. National Republican Party rules forbid those two states to hold winner-take-all primaries because those two primaries were so early. But the state parties in those two states disregarded the national rules, and awarded Romney delegates all of the seats. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.

American Bar Association Journal Takes Note of Libertarian Nominee for Texas Judicial Race

Posted on March 9, 2012 by adminMarch 9, 2012

Mari Bennett, a well-known criminal defense attorney in Houston, Texas, recently said in his blog, “Defending People”, that he has decided to seek the Libertarian Party nomination for Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, a statewide partisan judicial post. The American Bar Association Journal took note of the news. See here. The ABA Journal has a link to Bennett’s announcement.

Also, in Montana, Gerald J. McConnell has filed in the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate. He is a retired businessman with an impressive resume, and a Commissioner for Missoula Airport. Here is his resume. He will appear on the ballot as “Jerry McConnell.” Here is a newspaper story about his candidacy announcement. Thanks to Mike Fellows for this news.