On June 1, the Connecticut Senate passed SB1184, which moves the presidential primary from March to February 5. A similar bill has also passed the House. Thanks to Tony Roza for this news. The bill also authorizes same-day registration for the 2008 presidential primary. If it works well, presumably the legislature would then legalize election-day registration for all future elections.
Harry Ring died on April 17, 2007, in Los Angeles, at the age of 89. He had been one of the founding members of the Socialist Workers Party in 1938, and he was active in the party, or its predecessor organization, for 71 years. He was perhaps best known for his humorous column in the party’s newspaper, The Militant. His column ran from 1968 through April 2, 2007, and was called “The Great Society.” He was on the party’s national committee from 1954 until 1981 and had been on the newspaper’s staff starting in 1952.
The Nevada Secretary of State posts voter registration data every month. The newest report out is for March 2007. Compared to November 2006, every qualified party in Nevada gained except for the Republican Party. The Constitution and Democratic Parties made the largest gains.
The March 2007 percentages are: Republican 40.23%, Democratic 40.22%, independent and miscellaneous 14.96%, Constitution 3.68%, Libertarian .63%, Green .29%.
The November 2006 percentages were: Republican 40.68%, Democratic 39.97%, independent and miscellaneous 14.99%, Constitution 3.48%, Libertarian .61%, Green .28%.
This data is for the active voters, not the inactive voters. The inactive voter data is not useful, because it includes hundreds of thousands of people who have moved (according to the post office).
The March 2007 numbers for the active voters are Republican 408,438; Democratic 408,301; independent and miscellaneous 151,811; Constitution 37,351; Libertarian 6,362; Green 2,915. In Nevada, the Constitution Party’s name is the Independent American Party. Recent reports that the Independent American Party has 45,480 registrants are based on the misleading data that includes inactive voters.
The November 2006 numbers for the active voters were Republican 403,020; Democratic 396,022; indp. & misc. 148,465; Constitution 34,458; Libertarian 6,088; Green 2,762.
Illinois has had several bills pending to improve ballot access. None of them had passed by Thursday evening, May 31. Under Illinois legislative rules, May 31 should have been the end of the legislative session. However, the legislature is remaining in session another week. The rules for special extended sessions require that all bills pass by three-fifths, not just by a majority.
On May 25, Texas Governor Rick Perry vetoed HB 770. It would have provided that when ex-felons who are out of prison finally end their parole or probation status, the letter sent by the State Department of Public Safety (informing the ex-felon that he or she is now off parole or probation) should include a voter registration form. HB 770 had passed the Texas House by 120-21 and had passed the Texas Senate by 25-5.
This is not the first time that Governor Perry has vetoed a voting rights bill. On May 20, 2003, he vetoed that year’s HB 1274. It would have deleted the law requiring circulators to read 93 particular words whenever they ask someone to sign a petition for a new party or an independent candidate.
