Timothy Lutts is a well-known name in the world of investment advisory services. His newsletters have a combined subscription of approximately 150,000 around the world. He has this commentary on the web page Iconoclast-Investor about the weakened condition of the Republican Party, and the possibility that the Libertarian Party could grow in coming years.
The California Secretary of State’s office says it won’t announce the deadline for petitions in lieu of filing fee, until Friday, July 10, for the special U.S. House race, district 10. Cathy Mitchell, chief of the Elections Division, promises that whatever the deadline is, it will be in the future. But since the primary is September 1, chances are candidates who wish to be on the ballot in that election will only have one week. Independent, Democratic and Republican candidates need 3,000 signatures in lieu of the filing fee. Members of qualified minor parties need 150, but whereas anyone can sign the petition that needs 3,000 signatures, only minor party members can sign the petition that needs 150 signatures.
UPDATE: the Secretary of State’s office posted the Calendar for this election on July 8. It shows that the deadline for submitting Petitions in Lieu of the filing fee was July 5. The Governor had not even proclaimed the special election until July 3.
July 7 was the first day in which it was possible to circulate petitions for minor party and independent candidates for New York city office. The Green Party is running Rev. Billy Talen for Mayor; the Party for Socialism and Liberation is running Frances Villar for Mayor; and the Socialist Workers Party is running Dan Fein for Mayor.
The SWP also has candidates for Public Advocate and Manhatten Borough President. The Green Party also has a candidate for City Council. Whereas offices voted on by the city as a whole need 7,500 valid signatures, candidates for City Council need 2,700, which is proportionately much more difficult. See this story about the Green Party’s petition for David Pechefsky for council.
Delaware will hold a special election soon to fill the vacant State Senate seat, 19th district. The seat is vacant because Senator Thurman Adams, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, died on June 23.
The Republican nominee will be Joe Booth, and the Libertarian nominee will be Wendy Jones. The Democratic Party had nominated Eddy Parker a week ago, but he withdrew on July 7, so the party will soon choose a new nominee. In Delaware special legislative elections, all parties, major and minor alike, nominate by committee meeting. See this story for more details.
On July 7, both the California Senate Elections Committee, and the Assembly Elections Committee, met and passed several bills of interest.
The Senate Committee passed both SCA 16 and AB 1121. SCA 16 provides for an indirect initiative. If proponents of a statutory change submit petitions with signatures of 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, the legislature must consider their idea. If the legislature and the proponents can’t agree on a proposal, proponents can return to the street and get another 2% of the last gubernatorial vote, and the measure appears on the ballot. The existing initiative requirement for a statutory change is 5%, so this bill does not make it more difficult to get an initiative on the ballot, and might make it easier, in a sense.
The Senate Committee also passed AB 1121, to let 10 non-charter cities or counties use Instant Runoff Voting for their own elections.
The Assembly Committee passed SB 34, which makes it illegal to pay initiative circulators per signature. The Governor’s Office took a position against the bill, which virtually guarantees that he will veto it if it reaches him.
