Oregon’s Largest Newspaper Covers Independent Party’s Privately-Funded Primary

Posted on by July 8, 2010
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The Oregonian has this story about the Independent Party’s primary, which the party is paying for.  The Independent Party, with approximately 56,000 registered members, is ballot-qualified.  However, the Oregon law does not permit it to have a government-funded primary, because it has registration under 3% of the state total.  Yet the party feels it has so many members, nomination by convention (which is the usual method for ballot-qualified small parties in Oregon) is not practical.

So, it has arranged a means for the party to hold its own primary, at its own expense, which the article describes.

West Virginia Governor Now Favors 2010 Special Election for U.S. Senate

Posted on by July 7, 2010
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According to this story, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin now favors a special election for U.S. Senate in November 2010, to fill the vacancy created when Senator Robert Byrd died last month.  Manchin will ask the Attorney General to issue an opinion on whether the existing law requires such a special election.  If the opinion says the existing law does not require a special election, Manchin will probably ask the special session of the legislature to amend the law to provide for a special election.

Chances are, though, that the Attorney General will say the existing law does require a special election.  The existing law explicitly says a special election for U.S. Senate should be held if an incumbent U.S. Senator dies or otherwise leaves the Senate more than six months before the start of the next session of Congress.  The only reason the Secretary of State expressed an opinion against a special election is that the law doesn’t explain how major parties can choose a nominee, because this year’s primary has already been held.

Texas Democrats Drop Legal Action to Keep Green Party Off Ballot, But Will Seek Civil Penalties

Posted on by July 7, 2010
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On July 7, the Texas Democratic Party abandoned its legal efforts to keep the Green Party off the Texas ballot this year.  However, the party will keep the part of the lawsuit alive that seeks civil penalties, if a violation of any Texas campaign finance law is determined to have occurred.  See this story.  Thanks to Professor Mark P. Jones for the link.

Public Policy Institute Promises that a Neutral Poll for California Governor, Listing All Six Candidates, Will be Done This Month

Posted on by July 7, 2010
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The Public Policy Institute of California says that there will be a neutral poll in the California gubernatorial election this month that asks voters about all six ballot-listed candidates.  This promise was made because PPIC is co-sponsoring a future California gubernatorial debate, and limiting invitations to only candidates who are at 10% in a neutral poll.  The 10% criteria is meaningless if no poll exists that asks about each candidate.

Besides Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman, candidates on the November ballot will be Chelene Nightingale of the American Independent Party, Laura Wells of the Green Party, Dale Ogden of the Libertarian Party, and Carlos Alvarez of the Peace & Freedom Party.

Colorado Ballot Access Case Will Get Quick Hearing in 10th Circuit

Posted on by July 7, 2010
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The 10th Circuit has agreed to an expedited briefing schedule in Curry v Daley,10-1265.  This is the case over whether Colorado’s one year disaffiliation for independent candidates is constitutional.  The legislature passed a bill this year relaxing it but the new relaxed law isn’t effective until 2011.  The reason for the court hearing is to determine if the old law should be declared unconstitutional this year, in time for independent legislator Kathleen Curry to be on the ballot as an independent candidate, for re-election.

Curry’s brief has already been filed, and the state’s brief is due August 9.  The court will issue an opinion no later than September 2.