On October 5, the Massachusetts Joint Election Laws Committee passed the National Popular Vote Plan bills. They are S445, S452, H678 and H710. Now the bills procede directly to the floor of each of the two houses.
Other National Popular Vote bills that may advance in October or November 2007 are the Illinois and New Jersey bills.
On October 9, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Joe Biden and Bill Richardson withdrew their names from the Michigan January 15 Democratic presidential primary. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news. Since the Democratic National Committee won’t recognize Michigan’s primary because it is too early, the candidates who have withdrawn are trying to please the national party leaders. UPDATE: Hillary Clinton will keep her name on the ballot.
The Illinois National Popular Vote Plan, HB 1685, has been given until October 12 to pass the legislature.
According to this Cleveland, Ohio newspaper story, Cynthia McKinney has decided to seek the Green Party presidential nomination, after having earlier said she would not. Also, it appears that she has moved to California, where she will be enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley. The story says she has just re-registered to vote as a Green Party member. California has registration by party, but Georgia does not.
Ever since 1954, the best source for election returns data has been the series called America Votes. A new volume is published after each congressional and presidential election. America Votes 27 is now in print. It includes the 2006 election results. Most good libraries have the whole series. If you have access to a good library, presumably that library will soon have America Votes 27 on the reference shelf. The leader author is Rhodes Cook; the book is published by Congressional Quarterly Press.
