The July 17 issue of the Salem, Oregon Statesman Journal has this thorough article about SB 326, the bill that eases ballot access for independent candidates and legalizes fusion. Although there is no new news in the article, the middle section of the story is interesting for its explanation of the devastating impact of the “primary screenout” on State Senator Ben Westlund’s independent candidacy for Governor in 2006.
On July 17, California Assemblymember Kevin Jeffries (R-Riverside County) introduced ABX4 36, to abolish the office of Lieutenant Governor. The bill proposes that when there is a vacancy in the governorship, the Secretary of State would become Governor. Arizona follows this model.
According to this Village Voice blog item, Mayor Mike Bloomberg donated $250,000 to the New York County branch of the Independence Party, in May 2009. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for the link.
On July 14, Alabama held a special election to fill the vacant State House seat, 6th district. The results: Republican Phil Williams 60.5%, Democrat Jenny Askins 39.6%.
This seat had been in Democratic hands ever since the redistricting of 2001. It is in Madison County, the county that includes Huntsville. Alabama elects all its state legislators in mid-term years, for 4-year terms. The Republican share of the vote in 2006 had been 35.5%; in 2002, 42.3%. The seat was empty this year because the incumbent had resigned in February after being convicted of fraud.
Alabama is one of four states in which the same party has held a plurality, or a majority, in both houses of the legislature since the 1880’s. The others are Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The new line-up in the Alabama House is now 59 Democrats, 44 Republicans, and two vacancies.
California AB 1396, to delete from the election law some provisions that tell the Democratic Party how to structure itself, has already passed the Assembly and the Senate Elections Committee. However, it has been put on the inactive file in the Senate at the author’s request. The state Democratic Party wants some amendments, and hasn’t yet supplied the exact language of those amendments.
