On February 10, Virginia HB 2642 passed the House of Delegates unanimously. It makes it illegal to pay circulators on a per-signature basis. The bill even makes it illegal to give a bonus for good performance. An almost identical law in Ohio was declared unconstitutional by the 6th circuit in 2008. The bill now goes to the Senate.
Eleven Nevada State Senators are sponsoring SB 120, to move the primary from August back to September. The primary had been in September for decades, but in 2007 it had been moved to August. Proponents of a September primary say turnout is terrible in August because so many people are on vacation. See this story.
The Ellsworth American newspaper in Maine has this article in its February 10 edition. It explains how one 72-year-old woman, Ruby Sprague, persuaded her state legislator to introduce a bill so that independent voters would be referred to as “Independents”, not “Unenrolled.” The bill, LD3, is pending in the joint Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee.
The Ellsworth American newspaper in Maine has this article in its February 10 edition. It explains how one 72-year-old woman, Ruby Sprague, persuaded her state legislator to introduce a bill so that independent voters would be referred to as “Independents”, not “Unenrolled.” The bill, LD3, is pending in the joint Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee.
A New York Daily News story of February 9 says Mayor Mike Bloomberg still has bleak prospects for winning the nomination of any of the state’s ballot-qualified parties. The story quotes the Mayor as saying at this point he has no idea how he will run for re-election. If he petitions as an independent candidate, he will be at the bottom of a confusingly laid-out ballot. It is always possible he could file a lawsuit, and potentially win that lawsuit, that the Constitution requires a random order of candidates on the ballot. Such lawsuits have won in the 7th circuit, the 8th circuit, and in U.S. District Courts in New Mexico and Oklahoma, as well as in the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for the link.
