On April 5, the 3rd circuit denied a rehearing in Rogers v Corbett, the ballot access case filed by the Green, Constitution and Libertarian Parties last year. The issue was whether the state could force a party to submit 67,070 signatures to place its statewide nominees on the ballot, if it had polled enough votes in the prior election to meet the state’s definition of “political party”. A rehearing request had been pending since August 2006.

Now, the case will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On April 5, Colorado SB 83 passed the State Senate. It lets qualified minor parties nominate someone who has been a member of another party during the preceding year (major parties in Colorado already have this right). It also eases restrictions on who can circulate a petition, and also makes it easier for ex-felons to register to vote.

On April 5, the Alabama House passed HB358. It moves the presidential primary from June to February 5. Although a somewhat similar bill passed in 2006 and was signed into law, it never took effect, because the state didn’t send it in to the US Justice Department (Voting Rights section), because it had a major drafting flaw. Thanks to Ed Still for this news.