On July 13, Alabama held a run-off primary for the Republican Party, to determine who the party’s gubernatorial nominee would be.  Robert Bentley defeated Bradley Byrne, even though earlier Byrne had been considered the front-runner and the choice of most party leaders.

This Huntsville Times editorial suggests that Democrats voted heavily in the Republican run-off, something that is legal.  Democrats did not have a run-off primary.  Alabama does not have registration by party.  The editorial says the union that represents public school teachers was angry at Byrne, and that the union encouraged its members (most of whom are believed to be Democrats) to vote in the Republican run-off primary against Byrne.  Thanks to Ed Still of Votelaw for the link.

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin has asked the special session of the legislature to pass a bill with this suggested wording.  The proposed bill would authorize a special U.S. Senate election in November 2010.  Unfortunately the draft of the Governor’s bill does not explain what the ballot access rules should be.  The draft just says that the Governor is authorized to write ballot access rules and place them into his or her Proclamation that calls the special election.  See section 3-10-1a of the proposed bill.

The draft does say that if only one person files for the nomination of any particular qualified party, that person is deemed to be that person’s nominee.  But that does not settle the question of how an independent candidate, or the nominee of an unqualified party, may get on the general election ballot.

The special session of the legislature opens on July 15.  West Virginia does not have a Lieutenant Governor.  Because it is extremely likely that Governor Manchin will be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in this year’s likely special election, and because the Governor’s term does not expire until January 2013, some legislators would also like to address the question of gubernatorial succession.  Under the current law, when there is a vacancy in the Governorship, the State Senate President becomes Governor.

Four candidates are on the Arizona Libertarian primary ballot for Governor.  Arizona’s public funding law provides that the state agency that handles public financing also has the job of setting up primary debates, if even one candidate in that primary (for that particular office) has applied to qualify for public funding.  Such debates are televised.

Because one of the four Libertarians has applied for public funding, all four candidates were then invited into a debate, and they all accepted.  See this story.