U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Bataillon held a hearing on Friday, June 25, in Citizens in Charge v Gale, 4:09-cv-3255, concerning Nebraska’s ban on out-of-state circulators. The judge indicated he is likely to rule by Friday, July 2. Here is a brief newspaper story about the hearing. The plaintiffs include the Libertarian Party, which wants to qualify as a party. It needs 5,921 valid signatures by August 1.
Jon Roland has posted the pleadings in Texas Democratic Party v Texas Green Party on his web page here.
Some Republicans who donated money to Florida Governor Charlie Crist have brought a lawsuit in state court, seeking to force him to return their campaign contributions. They had given these contributions to Crist while he was a Republican, but now he is an independent. See this story. The case is Morton v Crist, 10-3846-ca, 20th circuit judicial district (Collier County).
The Republican National Committee will consider changing its rules for the presidential candidate selection process. Specifically, the party is mulling over the idea that states that choose delegates to the national convention earlier than April 1 must not use winner-take-all systems. Also the party wants to work with Democrats, and with state legislatures, to guarantee that no more presidential primaries be held earlier than mid-February. In 2008 there were January presidential primaries in New Hampshire, Michigan, South Carolina, and Florida. See this story.
This June 29 editorial in the Yankton, South Dakota Press and Dakotan urges voters to take a look at candidates for important public office who are not nominees of the two major parties.
