Last December, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Christian Legal Society v Martinez, 08-1371. Although this is not an election law case, the opinion will probably influence election law, because it is a case on freedom of association, and that inevitably affects the law on political parties.

The case concerns whether Hastings Law School in San Francisco is violating the U.S. Constitution by requiring student groups that it recognizes to open their doors to membership by any law student at the school. The Christian Legal Society does not wish to have members that disagree with its principles, which include a belief that unmarried individuals should not engage in any sexual activity.

Both sides have recently attracted top-flight legal talent to represent them in the case. Former U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Michael McConnell will argue for the Christian Legal Society. Former Solicitor General Gregory Garre will argue for the law school. See this article. The Christian Legal Society brief is due January 28, and the school’s brief is due March 8.

On January 13, U.S. House member Kevin McCarthy (R-California) and Gregg Harper (R-Mississippi) introduced HB 4449. It provides financial assistance to states that set up procedures by which people can register to vote on-line. It provides that states, in order to receive this financial assistance, must set up their system so that only individuals who already have state ID may use the on-line system.

See this story, which describes the Portland, Maine Charter Commission’s interest in Instant Runoff Voting. Although IRV has been discussed in Vermont ever since the late 1990’s, there has yet been little attention to IRV in Maine. Thanks to Thomas MacMillan for the link.