On June 2, the Washington State Republican Committee voted to choose 51% of its delegates to the 2008 presidential convention according to the results of the state’s presidential primary. This is in contrast to the Washington State Democratic Party, which chooses all its delegates in caucuses (so that the popular vote in its presidential primary is immaterial).

The Committee that sets the date of Washington’s presidential primary is meeting on June 11, and it will try to set the date of the presidential primary at that time.

Alabama’s Constitution says people may not register to vote if they are convicted of crimes of “moral turpitude.” On June 1, the Alabama Supreme Court issued a ruling in Chapman v Gooden, no. 1051712. The ruling says that each county elections office is not free to decide for itself which crimes are crimes of “moral turpitude.” The counties must follow the Attorney General’s opinion on which crimes are covered. This means that certain counties will no longer be able to prevent people from registering to vote if they were convicted of drunk driving or possession of illegal drugs, since the Attorney General’s list doesn’t include those crimes as “moral turpitude” crimes. Other crimes that the Attorney General does not believe involve “moral turpitude” but which certain counties did, are violation of liquor laws, assault and battery, speeding, trepass, attempted burglary, doing business without a license, and aiding a prisoner to escape. People convicted of these crimes can now register to vote in all counties.

On June 2, the Idaho Republican Party passed a resolution that the party’s primary should be closed to everyone who doesn’t indicate that he or she is a member. The vote was 88-58. It is not clear if the party will now sue the state to implement the policy. Thanks to Steve Rankin for this news. Idaho has no partisan registration.