The Vermont Secretary of State did not release her report on how to implement Instant-Runoff Voting until March 9. This has slowed the progress of bills to implement IRV for some statewide offices. However, it is still somewhat likely that the Senate bill, S.108, could pass.
On March 19, the Arkansas House passed HB 1703 by a vote of 52-41. The bill has had a perilous history so far. First it failed in Committee, then on reconsideration it passed. The same thing then happened on the House floor; first it lost, but then reconsideration was granted, and it won. Democrats control the Arkansas legislature and hold the Governorship. The Governor has already said he will sign it if it passes the Senate.
On February 28, Texas Representative Phil King (R-Weathersford) introduced HB 1661. It would change the vote test for a party to remain on the ballot from 5% for any statewide office (or 2% for Governor), to 10% for any statewide office. King had no Democratic opponent in 2006, but he did have a Libertarian who polled 19.6% of the vote against King. Apparently King would have preferred an election in which he had no opponent at all.
The median vote test for a party to remain on the ballot, in the 50 states, is 2%.
On March 20, U.S. Senators Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Richard Durbin (D-Il.) said they will soon introduce a bill to provide public funding for congressional candidates. They say their model is the “Clean Elections” system now used for state legislative candidates in Maine and Arizona. Both states do not discriminate for or against any candidate on the basis of political affiliation. Anyone who raises a certain number of small contributions is entitled to public funding. The Specter-Durbin statement implies that their bill will follow this principle. It would be difficult for them to introduce a discriminatory bill, since two independent U.S. Senators were elected last year. A similar bill will be introduced in the House by Congressman John Tierney (D-Ma.).
On March 20, U.S. Senators Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Richard Durbin (D-Il.) said they will soon introduce a bill to provide public funding for congressional candidates. They say their model is the “Clean Elections” system now used for state legislative candidates in Maine and Arizona. Both states do not discriminate for or against any candidate on the basis of political affiliation. Anyone who raises a certain number of small contributions is entitled to public funding. The Specter-Durbin statement implies that their bill will follow this principle. It would be difficult for them to introduce a discriminatory bill, since two independent U.S. Senators were elected last year. A similar bill will be introduced in the House by Congressman John Tierney (D-Ma.).
