On September 2, the Daily Oklahoman, largest newspaper in Oklahoma, ran this article about the proposed initiative to improve the ballot access laws. UPDATE: the same story ran in the Lawton Constitution. Lawton is the largest city in western Oklahoma. Thanks to Kim Wright for this update.
In 2002, the Arizona Libertarian Party filed a federal lawsuit against a law that mandated that the party must allow independents to vote in its primary. The party’s members are far outnumbered by the number of registered independents in the state. The party had an extremely close primary contest for Governor in 2002. Both candidates were willing and able to campaign among the approximately 18,000 registered Libertarians, but neither had enough resources to try to campaign among the hundreds of thousands of independent voters. The party won the case in U.S. District Court on August 6, 2002.
However, after the primary was over, in 2003, the 9th circuit told the U.S. District Court to re-do the case. The 9th circuit said that while it is obvious that the party can’t be forced to let independents vote in its primary for party officers, the question is not so clear on whether the party can block independents from voting in its primary for public office. The 9th circuit said the lower court should analyze each matter separately. Since then, the U.S. District Court has not ruled.
According to the judge’s law clerk, the judge is working on the decision, so it should be out this year. In the meantime, Arizona State Representative Steve Gallardo (D-Phoenix), who is probably not aware of the case, has called on the legislature to pass a law letting independents vote in presidential primaries. The existing law forcing parties to let independents to vote in their primaries does not pertain to presidential primaries. Gallardo hopes that the Governor will call a special session of the legislature this month, and if that happens, he will try to make that change.
Former Senator Sam Nunn spent the last week traveling in Russia with Senator Richard Lugar, and gained publicity from the trip. Here is an Atlanta Journal-Constitution interview with him, in which he repeats his suggestion that the U.S. talk to Iran. On the subject of running for president outside the two major parties, he merely repeated what he has said before: “It’s possible but not probable. At this stage I am completely consumed with my present activities and not making presidential moves.”
On August 31, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee became the first candidate for the Republican presidential nomination to endorse full voting rights for the District of Columbia. He said, “They’re American citizens. They pay taxes and it just doesn’t seem right that someone could be even partially disenfranchised.” He endorsed HR 1905, the bill that would give D.C. a voting member of the House of Representatives, combined with an additional seat for Utah. HR 1905 passed the House on April 19, and is likely to be considered by the Senate when Congress returns on September 4.
On August 31, the Michigan Democratic Party announced it will choose national convention delegates at the January 15 presidential primary (the bill moving the state’s primary passed yesterday, although the Governor still hasn’t signed it). This sets up a confrontation between the Michigan Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee, in which Michigan Democrats will be allied with Florida Democrats, against the national party rule not allowing any states except Nevada, South Carolina, Iowa and New Hampshire to choose delegates before February 5.
Meanwhile, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, and Joe Biden, said they will refuse to campaign in states that violate the national party bylaw, during the primary season.
