On October 20, Alabama state officials signed papers indicating that they were wrong to have prevented Reverend Kenneth Glasgow from visiting prisoners for the purpose of registering them to vote. Alabama prohibits felons and ex-felons from registering to vote only if they have been convicted of “crimes of moral turpitude”. Most crimes are not in that category. Glasgow had been permitted to visit prisons and jails to register people to vote if they had not commited crimes of moral turpitude, and then the state had revoked permission, after the Alabama Republican Party had complained. Glasgow had then sued in federal court. That case is Glasgow v Allen, middle district, 2:08-cv-801. The case will be dismissed now that Alabama officials have acknowledged that Glasgow had a right to do what he had been doing. Ironically, however, it is now too late for Glasgow to carry on his work this year.

On October 15, Allen Stevo asked the 7th circuit for rehearing en banc, in his case over the number of signatures needed for an independent candidate for U.S. House in Illinois. Stevo v Keith, 08-3218. Illinois requires exactly 5,000 signatures in some election years, but approximately twice as many in other election years. Even in the years when only 5,000 were required, no independent has ever qualified for U.S. House in Illinois. Not withstanding that, the original panel of the 7th circuit had upheld requiring him to get approximately 10,000 this year.

Meanwhile, a parallel case in state court on behalf of Dan Druck, a Libertarian candidate for U.S. House, lost in the State Court of Appeals, also on October 15. Furthermore, the State Court of Appeals panel added gratuitously that it has been a legal error all these years for Illinois to place candidates on the ballot who submit a number of signatures below the legal requirement, if such candidates are not challenged. This issue had nothing to do with the case, and surprised both sides. The Druck case will probably be appealed to the State Supreme Court. Illinois has traditionally put anyone on the ballot who submits even one signature, if no one challenges that petition.

On October 20, Tennessee State Senator Rosalind Kurita asked the 6th circuit to put her on the ballot as the Democratic nominee for State Senate in her district. Kurita v The State Primary Board of the Tennessee Democratic Party, 08-6245.