December is the prime month during which activists should look for state legislators to introduce bills in next year’s legislative sessions. More progress improving ballot access laws comes from persuading state legislators to ease these laws, than via lawsuits. But many states have very early deadlines for legislators to introduce bills. For example, in Indiana, all bills considered in 2010 must have been introduced by the first week in January 2010.
Although the Vermont legislature is not in session, Vermont state government officials are talking about whether to move the primary (for all office except president) from September, to August 24. See this story. Governor Jim Douglas favors asking the federal government for a waiver of the new federal law that is pushing the talk about a primary date change. The new federal law, which takes effect for the 2010 congressional primaries, tells states they must mail overseas absentee ballots no later than 45 days before the November election.
The 11th circuit says it will hear oral arguments in Coffield v Handel during the period March 1-5. The court will set the exact date in a few weeks. This is the case in which Faye Coffield tried to get on the ballot as an independent candidate for U.S. House in 2008. Although no one has completed the Georgia petition requirement for that office since 1964, it has always been tough to get the issue into court, because generally the petition is so difficult, no one even tries.
City Hall’s November 29 issue has this very lengthy and detailed report on how the Working Families Party raises money in New York state, and how it is part of a network of organizations that enhance the effectiveness of each part of that network. Thanks to Rick Hasen of ElectionLawBlog for the link.
The newspaper that covers Litchfield County, Connecticut, has this November 29 story about Ralph Nader’s appearance in Norfolk, Connecticut, for his book tour. Apparently as Nader traverses that state, he is always asked if he will run for the U.S. Senate in 2010. He continues being noncommital.
