Both sides in Mississippi Democratic Party v Barbour have appealed the U.S. District Court decision to the 5th circuit. The Democratic Party ostensibly won the case in the U.S. District Court. The U.S. District Court agreed with the Democratic Party, that an open primary is unconstitutional if a party objects. The state of Mississippi appealed that decision. But the Democratic Party also appealed, since the lower court decision said the party had to require photo voter-ID at the polls for its primaries. Also, the NAACP, which had intervened in the case in June 2007, is appealing. The NAACP is also opposed to a photo voter-ID requirement for voting at the polls.

On Sunday, August 5, the Long Beach (California) Branch of the NAACP sponsored a debate for the four candidates running in the special election, 37th U.S. House district, set for August 21. The four candidates are Democrat Laura Richardson, Republican John Kanaley, Green Daniel Brezenoff, and Libertarian Herb Peters. Here is a newspaper account of the debate.

Last month, independent candidates for Youngstown, Ohio city council were removed from the ballot, because the Secretary of State ruled that individuals who voted in a partisan primary can’t be independent candidates. The Ohio election law does not say independent candidates must not have voted in the primary. However, last year an independent candidate for U.S. House was removed from the Ohio ballot, and his federal lawsuit to get back on the ballot lost. At least one Youngstown candidate has filed a new lawsuit. Thanks to Nancy Ross for this news.