Most state legislatures have rules, limiting a state legislator to introducing a small number of bills. State legislators are now deciding which bills they will introduce next year. If you are dissatisfied with your state’s ballot access laws, November of even years is the key month to ask state legislators to introduce bills to improve them. December is also appropriate, but it is more difficult to communicate in December, because so many people are away, or distracted by holidays.

Half the battle to getting a law improved is finding a legislative sponsor.

Virtually every state legislature is far more active in odd years than in even years. In a handful of states, notably Texas, legislatures don’t even meet during even years, except for specialized topics. Opportunities thus come only once every two years.

Although there have been perhaps half a dozen lawsuits filed in various states around the country alleging that Barack Obama does not meet the constitutional qualifications to be president, the one that has received the most publicity is Berg v Obama. Phil Berg, a Pennsylvania attorney, had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the election. He had filed that request on Friday, October 31. Justice Souter denied the request on Monday, November 3. Berg v Obama, 08A391. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for this news.

On November 4, independent candidate Tim Madden was elected to the Massachusetts State House, in the Barnstable, Dukes & Nantucket District (Massachusetts legislative seats don’t have seat numbers). No incumbent was running. There may be other independents elected to state legislatures around the country. One was also elected in Wisconsin.

The new Massachusetts House will consist of 160 members, but only 16 Republicans. Republicans had 19 members in the 2007 session.