The January 29 edition of the Arkansas Times has this intriguing story about Richard Carroll, the Green Party’s only current state legislator. He works the night shift at his locomotive repair job, so that he can attend the legislative session during the day.
The January 30 issue of the Concordian, student newspaper for Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, has this op-ed in favor of Instant Runoff Voting for Minnesota. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for the link.
The Christian Science Monitor has this op-ed in its January 30 edition. It advocates that the voters of the United States directly elect the Attorney General.
Arkansas Senator Steve Faris (D-Malvern) has introduced SB 253, to move the primary (for president and all other office) to the 2nd Tuesday in August. Currently the presidential primary is in February and the primary for other office is in May, although the House has already passed a bill to put both in May.
It is quite unusual that any state legislator would propose a presidential primary in August. No state has ever held such a late presidential primary.
On January 29, U.S. District Court Judge Morrison England refused to issue an injunction against a California law that requires disclosure of the names and addresses of small donors to initiative campaigns. ProtectMarriage.com v Bowen, no. 2:09-cv-58, e.d. The case had been filed by donors to California’s Proposition 8, the ballot measure last year to eliminate same-sex marriage. A quick appeal is likely; the law requires the disclosure by February 2. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.
