Louisiana held two special US House elections on May 3. These are the first congressional elections that Louisiana has held since 1976 in which parties had actually nominated candidates, and for which independents and minor party nominees are on the general election ballot. Therefore, it is now possible for someone to be elected to Congress from Louisiana with less than 50% of the general election vote. And, in one of these elections, that did happen.

In the 6th district, the results are: Democrat Dan Cazayoux 49.20%, Republican Woody Jenkins 46.27%, independent Ashley Casey 3.68%, independent Peter Aranyosi .44%, Constitution Party nominee Randall Hayes, .40%. Casey had said she would caucus with the Republicans if she had been elected.

In the 1st district, the results are: Republican Steve Scalise 75.13%, Democrat Gilda Reed, 22.50%, independents Skip Galen 1.74% and Anthony Gentile .62%.

The May 2 issue of the Washington Post has this article about what legal scholars say about John McCain’s eligibility for the presidency, given that he was born in the Canal Zone in 1936. Thanks to Howard Bashman’s “How Appealing” law blog.

On April 8, a non-controversial technical Illinois election law bill was amended by its authors, so that the bill now would also restore the straight-ticket device in Illinois general elections. The bill is HB 2673. The sponsors are six Democrats from urban areas: from Cook County, John Fritchey, Joseph Lyons, Louis Lang, and John D’Amico; from the part of Illinois that is across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Daniel Beiser and Thomas Holbrook.

Straight-ticket devices make it possible for voters to vote for all offices without even looking to see whom they are voting for or against. They have been in decline in the United States. Elections administrators dislike them, because they introduce ambiguity and confusion into counting the votes.