The April 6 Washington Post has this editorial, deploring the low turnout in the April 2012 primary in Washington, D.C., and suggesting that the city consider using instant runoff voting. The editorial is not detailed, and one wonders if the editors are also implicitly suggesting non-partisan elections for Washington’s city elections. Thanks to Rob Richie for the link.
Alabama SB 15, which improves ballot access for minor parties and independent candidates, may receive a vote in the Alabama Senate on April 10. It was eligible for such a vote on April 3 and April 5, but it didn’t come up because of extremely lengthy debate on various other bills.
New Mexico Representative Dianne Hamilton, a Republican member of the legislature since 1998 who wishes to run for re-election this year, is in danger of being omitted from the June 2012 primary ballot. Her petition to get on the primary ballot omitted the district number. See this story. A hearing in lower state court was held on April 6, and the Judge promised a decision by Monday morning, April 9. Similar challenges will be heard in the New Mexico Supreme Court on April 10.
The Working Families Party may run New York Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries for U.S. House in the 10th district in Brooklyn, even if Jeffries doesn’t win the Democratic Party primary for that seat. The incumbent, Congressman Edolphus Towns, has been in Congress since 1983, and is running for re-election. The Working Families Party refused to cross-endorse Towns in 2006, 2008, and 2010, although it didn’t run its own nominee against him either those years. See this story.
For over 80 years, Tucson has used partisan city elections. In 2009 the Arizona legislature passed a law, telling all cities that they must use non-partisan elections. On April 6, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled unanimously that if charter cities wish to hold partisan elections, they may do that, notwithstanding any law that the legislature may have passed. Here is the 24-page opinion. The case is City of Tucson v State of Arizona, cv11-0150.
Tucson is the only city in Arizona with partisan city elections. Generally, Democrats do better than Republicans in city elections in Tucson.
