Medill Reports is an on-line publication, prepared by graduate journalism students at Northwestern University. This article in Medill Reports describes the habit of WTTW-TV to host debates, but to exclude some ballot-listed candidates. On January 17, the TV station, which receives substantial funding from the government, hosted a TV debate for four of the candidates for Mayor of Chicago, although six candidates are on the ballot. The article also mentions that WTTW is being sued for a similar discriminatory policy last year, when it hosted a general election gubernatorial debate and invited only the two major party nominees. Thanks to Christina Tobin for the link.

On January 28, the West Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee passed SB 261, which provides for a June 20 primary for Governor this year, in the special gubernatorial election that will be held in October. If the bill fails to become law, there will be no primary and the three qualified parties will choose a nominee in conventions.

Connecticut Senator Andrew Maynard (D-Stonington) has introduced Proposed Bill 778, which cuts the number of signatures for statewide and U.S. House candidates, in the general election, down to 1,000 signatures. Current law requires 7,500 signatures for statewide candidates, and signatures equal to 1% for U.S. House candidates, which is always close to 3,000 signatures in midterm years and 2,400 in presidential years. The bill was introduced at the request of the Libertarian Party. In 2008, Connecticut was one of the five states in which the Libertarian Party was unable to place Bob Barr on the ballot. The other states in which Barr didn’t appear were West Virginia (which has since reduced its signature requirement), Louisiana, Maine, and Oklahoma (where a bill is pending to reduce the signature requirement).

Thanks to Marc Montoni for this news.