On February 18, the Wyoming Senate passed HB 76. It had already passed the House. It says that if the Secretary of State has not received the certification of any qualified party as to whom it nominated for president and vice-president by 60 days before the November election, the state will not print the name of that party’s national nominees on the November ballot. Instead it will just say, for example, “Republican nominees for president and vice-president” without naming them.
On February 18, the South Dakota House passed HB 1234 by a vote of 52-17. It moves the independent candidate petition deadline from June to April.
Thirteen Arizona legislators have introduced HB 2579, which provides that independent voters may vote in any party’s presidential primary, unless that particular party tells the Secretary of State at least 85 days in advance of the presidential primary that it doesn’t wish to let independent voters vote in its presidential primary.
On February 4, Arkansas HB 1021 was signed into law by Governor Mike Beebe. It moves the presidential primary from February to May.
On February 17, a U.S. District Court in Wisconsin struck down three State Supreme Court rules: (1) a prohibition on a state judge being a member of a party; (2) a prohibition on a judge endorsing a candidate in a partisan election; (3) a prohibition on a judge personally asking anyone for a campaign contribution.
Wisconsin elects its state court judges with non-partisan elections. The decision emphasizes that the state is free to continue using this system. The case is Siefert v Alexander, 08-cv-126, w.d. The decision is 65 pages and can be read on the webpage of the James Madison Center, www.jamesmadison.org. Choose “Judicial accountability project” on the left-hand menu, and then choose “Siefert v Alexander”. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.
