Two Indiana representatives have introduced HB 1069, to eliminate the straight-ticket device. The authors are both Republicans from Indianapolis. They are Phillip Hinkle and Cindy Noe. Generally, bills to repeal the straight-ticket device are introduced by members of the minority party in the legislature, but in this case the authors are members of the majority party.

Other states with bills to repeal the straight-ticket device this year, so far, are Texas and West Virginia. A straight-ticket device is place on a general election ballot that allows a voter to cast a vote for all nominees of one particular party, without even looking at the ballot to see who is running.

Illinois representative Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) has introduced HB 1402, to require candidates for the legislature to submit, along with their ballot access petition, the results of a “substance abuse test”. The test must have taken place within the 60 days before the petition is submitted. Mitchell is not a neophyte state legislator; he was first elected to the Illinois legislature in 1998.

In 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that states cannot require candidates for public office to pass a drug test. That case was Chandler v Miller, 520 U.S. 305.

On February 11, the Virginia legislature passed HB 1507, which moves the 2011 primary from June to September 13. Virginia elects state legislators in odd years, including 2011. The legislature moved the 2011 primary because the new legislative district boundaries can’t be ready in time for a June 2011 primary. The bill moves the petition deadline for independent candidates, and for the nominees of unqualified parties, into September as well.