On July 9, Ralph Nader asked the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, for an en banc rehearing in his case against the Democratic National Committee for actions in the 2004 election. The original 3-judge panel had ruled last month that Nader’s case had been filed a few months too late in 2007, and that the Statute of Limitations bars the court from hearing the case.

The main point of the petition for rehearing is that it is impossible to know whether the Statute of Limitations was violated without taking evidence, and no court in this case has ever permitted any evidence-gathering.

California requires independent candidates for legislature and U.S. House to submit 500 signatures in special elections. On July 9, the Secretary of State’s webpage was amended to reflect that such candidates in the upcoming U.S. House special election, 10th district, do indeed need 500 signatures. Earlier the webpage had said they require 1,000.

On July 9, three U.S. Senators introduced S1415, to help overseas voters get their ballots counted. The sponsors are Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga), and Ben Nelson (D-Neb). The bill requires states to send their overseas absentee ballots no later than 45 days before the election. Also, it says that if the ballots are postmarked no later than election day, they must be counted as long as they arrive no later than 10 days after the election. Also the bill forbids states from requiring that voter registration applications, or absentee ballots, be notarized.

The bill is expected to move ahead rapidly. It has a hearing on July 15. Thanks to ElectionLawBlog for this news.