California Assemblymember Norma Torres (D-Pomona) has introduced AB 1396. It would repeal all election laws that describe how the California Democratic Party is organized. It would require the party to be responsible for its own internal organizational rules, and also would require the party to keep its rules posted on its internet site.

The bill thus acknowledges the U.S. Supreme Court decision Eu v San Francisco County Democratic Central Committee, issued 20 years ago. That decision said state government has no authority to describe how political parties should be organized.

On April 7, the West Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee passed HB 2981, the ballot access improvement bill. The bill had already passed the House. It cuts the petition requirement from 2% of the last vote cast to 1%, and moves the non-presidential petition deadline from May to August.

The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear the case on whether Instant Runoff Voting is consistent with the State Constitution on May 13. The lower court had ruled that there is no conflict between Minneapolis’ IRV law and the State Constitution. The State Supreme Court expedited this case so that the city will have an opportunity to use IRV this year if the city wins in court again.