On July 23, Cindy Sheehan announced she will definitely run for Congress as an independent in California’s 8th district. The incumbent is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Sheehan had earlier said she would wait until July 23, to see if Pelosi supports impeachment of President Bush and Vice-President Cheney.
On July 20, North Carolina H91 was signed into law. It lets people register to vote only 3 days before election day. It is not quite election-day registration, but it is the closest thing to it in any southern state.
On June 28, the Reform Party asked the U.S. District Court in Gainesville, Florida, to lift the order forbidding the party from spending money on anything, until it pays back the $333,558 that it owes to the Federal Election Commission. The party had raised this point earlier in the 11th circuit, but the 11th circuit said to take it up with the U.S. District Court. The case is still called FEC v Reform Party USA, no. 1:04cv-79-MMP.
If the FEC were pragmatic, it wouldn’t fight this point, since it is obvious that if the order remains in effect, the party won’t be able to raise money to pay what it owes. It takes money to raise money.
On July 17, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 293, which lets the Republican Party (and only that party) have until September 4 to certify the names of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the November ballot. Now, all states permit qualified parties (or at least the Republican Party) to wait until September 4, 2008, to choose their presidential and vice-presidential ticket.
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski still hasn’t either signed or vetoed HB 2082, which makes it more difficult for initiatives to get on the ballot. The bill was sent to him on July 9. He has until August 8 to act. Should you wish to ask him to veto it, his office phone is 503-378-3111.
