California will hold a special election on June 26 to fill the vacancy in the 37th U.S. House district, caused when Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald died earlier this month. Filing closes May 14. The district is overwhelmingly Democratic. Probably many Democrats will file, and it is likely that none of them will get a majority. If no one gets 50% in the first election, a run-off will be held on August 21, between the top vote-getters from each party.
Delaware is holding a special election on May 5 to fill the vacant seat in the State House, 41st district. The vacancy was caused when Republican Representative John Atkins resigned. However, Atkins has since changed his mind, and wants to return to the legislature, so he is running as a write-in in that special election.
George Dale, Mississippi’s Democratic Insurance Commissioner since 1975, was denied the right to file as a Democrat last month. Mississippi elects all its state officers in the odd years before presidential elections, so the state election is in November 2007. Dale was kept off the Democratic primary ballot because he endorsed President Bush for re-election in 2004. He filed a lawsuit in state court to overturn that decision.
However, at the hearing on April 27, he said that he no longer wants to be the Democratic nominee, and that he wants to be an independent. Since this issue had not been briefed, the court took no immediate action. Dale needs 1,000 signatures to be on the ballot, which he undoubtedly could collect. Unfortunately, the deadline has already passed. It is possible he will file new papers to argue that the deadline is unconstitutional. Thanks to Steve Rankin for this news.
On April 27, the Florida Senate passed HB537, which would create a presidential primary that is one week later than New Hampshire’s primary. The Senate amended the bill to outlaw vote-counting machines with no paper trail. The bill had already passed the House, but must now return to the House to see if the House agrees with the amendment.
It is difficult to know for sure what will happen if this bill is signed into law, because New Hampshire won’t clearly say when its presidential primary will be. But even if New Hampshire holds its primary as late as January 22, the Florida bill would create a January 29 for Florida, ahead of almost all other primaries.
On April 27, the last day of the Montana legislative session, Rep. Rick Jore saw Governor Brian Schweitzer for a few minutes to ask him to veto SB 270, the bill that moves the petition deadline for independent candidates (for office other than president) from June to March. Governor Schweitzer said he would look at the case law.
