On March 21, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said he will not seek re-election as a Democrat this year. But if he is exonerated of criminal charges during the next few months, he may run for re-election as an independent The petition deadline for that is in early June, and 800 signatures are needed. See this story.
The North Dakota Secretary of State today announced that the Libertarian Party’s party petition in North Dakota, requiring 7,000 signatures of eligible North Dakota voters has been found to have a sufficient number of valid signatures. Therefore, the Libertarian Party presidential ticket, and possible other Libertarian candidates, will be on the November 2024 General Election ballot in that state. Thanks to LPND Chair Taylor Bakken for the news, and thanks to Andy Jacobs for his petitioning on that drive.
On March 21, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said he might seek the No Labels Party presidential nomination this year. See here.
On March 11, U.S. District Court Judge Jill Parrish, an Obama appointee, refused to enjoin various Utah laws that make it difficult to put statewide initiatives on the ballot. Are you Listening Yet PAC v Henderson, 2:24cv-104. The group that filed the lawsuit complained about the February 15 deadline for initiative petitions in election years; the law banning all forms of payment to circulators except an hourly wage; the law that says only two signatures can fit on a petition sheet; and various other impediments. The plaintiffs had also complained about the ban on out-of-state circulators, but that ban was repealed earlier this year.
The judge seemed influenced by the fact that the plaintiffs had begun their petition drive in May 2023, but didn’t file the lawsuit until January 2024.
The plaintiffs dismissed the lawsuit on March 13, and will try again in state court, using the State Constitutional provisions that protect the initiative. Here is the U.S. District Court decision.
This story says the both Democratic and Republican leaders in the state legislature say they are interested in passing a bill that would change New Jersey’s ballot format. There is no mention in the story of whether they are interested in primary ballots only, or whether their reform would extend to general election ballots.
