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Lawsuit Threatened to Enforce North Carolina Constitution Requiring All Office-Holders to Believe in God

Posted on December 14, 2009 by Richard WingerDecember 14, 2009

North Carolina’s Constitution says that citizens are not eligible for elected public office if they “deny the being of Almighty God.” Six other states have similar provisions in their Constitutions: Arkansas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Recently, Asheville, North Carolina, elected Cecil Bothwell to the city council. He considers himself an atheist. Local activist H. K. Edgerton is threatening to sue the city for violating the State Constitution. See this story.

The U.S. Constitution says that no religious test may ever be imposed as a condition for holding public office. Edgerton quite properly says that if the North Carolina Constitution violates the U.S. Constitution, then the North Carolina Constitution should be changed, but in the meantime, he wants the state Constitution enforced.

What Happens if California Legislature Doesn’t Approve Senator Abel Maldonado as Lieutenant Governor?

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Richard WingerDecember 13, 2009

California currently has no Lieutenant Governor. The incumbent, John Garamendi, a Democrat, resigned recently to take his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has nominated Republican State Senator Abel Maldonado, author of the “top-two open primary” ballot measure to be voted on in June, 2010, to be California’s new Lieutenant Governor. However, recently California Democratic Party state chair John Burton said that he does not believe the legislature should confirm Maldonado.

If no one fills the vacancy in the Lieutenant Governorship, the next person in line to be Governor is the President Pro Tem of the California State Senate. Currently that is Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat. The annual salary of the Lieutenant Governor is $159,134. This interesting column by Professor Michael A. Moodian advocates that California ought to elect its governor and its lieutenant governor on a joint ticket, so that they would always be of the same political party. Failing that, Moodian also suggests that California might consider doing without a Lieutenant Governor.

Public Funding on Connecticut Legislature’s Agenda

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Richard WingerDecember 13, 2009

The Connecticut legislature will meet on December 15. Among other things, it will consider whether to revise the public funding law for candidates, to remove the discriminatory aspects of the law. This article, published December 13, explains the competing pressures on the legislature.

Hawaii May Have an 8-Month Vacancy in One of its U.S. House Districts

Posted on December 12, 2009 by Richard WingerDecember 12, 2009

Hawaii has two members of the U.S. House of Representatives. One of them, Neil Abercrombie, has already announced that he will run for Governor in 2010. Not only that, he is planning to resign soon, because it is impossible for him to campaign for Governor while he is so far away in Washington, D.C.

However, the Hawaii Elections Office says it can’t afford to hold a special election to fill Abercrombie’s seat, and would leave it unfilled until mid-September, when the state is holding its regularly-scheduled primary for all partisan offices. Nothing in state law requires any state official to call a special election to fill a vacancy in the U.S. House before September 2010. See this story.

Useful and Fun Site for Redistricting

Posted on December 12, 2009 by Richard WingerDecember 12, 2009

The webpage www.redistrictingthenation.com is an excellent resource for people interested in congressional, legislative, and even local districts. One can type in an address and see each type of district for that address. The webpage also measures the compactness, on objective mathematical grounds, for any district in the nation. Also a feature lets visitors try their hand at creating new districts. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link.