Two West Virginia Republicans wanted to run for Republican Party Executive Committee in their home county, Ralpigh County. Due to a mix-up with the an erroneous entry on the Declaration of Candidacy, instead they are on the ballot in Wood County, 135 miles from where they live. This story explains how it happened and why nothing can be done about it.
The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Moore v Hosemann, 09-982, at its April 2 conference. Any decision would not be released until Monday, April 5. This is the case over whether Brian Moore, Socialist Party presidential candidate, should have been on the ballot in 2008 in Mississippi. The actual issue now before the U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t involve the election law itself, but whether the 5th circuit should have certified the case to a state court (instead the 5th circuit said the case is not moot but that Moore must file the case all over again in state court). Another issue in the case is whether, when state officials force the plaintiff to hire a process server, must the state reimburse the plaintiff?
On March 16, the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems contributed $250,000 to the campaign in favor of Proposition 14.
According to this story, one candidate for city office in Bayonne, New Jersey, has accused his rival of deliberately making a copy of his already-submitted ballot access petition, and then canvassing the same voters who had signed, urging them to sign for another candidate for the same office. If voters sign for two candidates for the same office, and there is only one seat to be filled, then both signatures are invalid.
As the news spread, yet another candidate, for another office, who had already submitted his petition, retrieved it. He said he would turn it in again, just before the deadline, to make sure that his opponent doesn’t attempt the same tactic.
Laws that make it illegal for voters to sign for two opposing candidates cause this type of mischief. If the U.S. Supreme Court rules in Doe v Reed that ballot access petitions are not public, that would also alleviate this problem to a certain extent.
The Santa Clara, California, Chamber of Commerce will hold a forum on Proposition 14 on Tuesday, March 23, at 8:00 a.m. Speaking in favor of Proposition 14 will be Brian Brennan of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Speaking against will be Christina Tobin, founder of Free & Equal. The event is at 1850 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara.
