On February 11, the Federal Election Commission filed this response in the U.S. Supreme Court, in Cao v Federal Election Commission, 10-776. The Court hasn’t yet decided whether to hear this case. The Republican Party argues that it should have been allowed to partially coordinate with one of its nominees, former Congressman Joseph Cao, last year. Federal Campaign laws restrict party spending in congressional elections to a greater extent than it restricts the spending of any other groups. Thanks to Justin Levitt for the link.

On February 11, Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville) introduced SB 617, to govern how political parties can qualify for the general election ballot. The bill requires 2,500 signatures, and says that newly-qualifying parties would nominate by convention, not primary.

Senator Campfield had earlier this year introduced another ballot access bill for newly qualifying parties, SB 129, but it only lowered the petition from 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, and did not solve other problems, such as the early petition deadline and wording on the petition that implies signers are members of the party.

The old law was declared unconstitutional last year, so it is likely that some bill on this subject will pass the legislature this year. Thanks to Tony Wall for the news.

Nebraska State Senators John Nelson and Scott Lautenbaugh have introduced the Secretary of State’s omnibus election law bill, LB 449. Among other things, it restricts who can be an independent candidate. The bill says no one can be an independent candidate if he or she were registered as a member of a qualified party on March 1 of the election year. Also it makes it illegal for anyone to circulate an independent candidate petition earlier than December 15 of the year before the election.

The bill does not seem to affect independent presidential candidates, who have a separate section in the existing law. That separate section is not being amended. The bill has a hearing on February 16 in the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.