In March, Georgia will hold a special U.S. House election to fill the vacancy in the 10th district. The Libertarian Party has never run anyone for U.S. House in Georgia (except for write-in candidates), but the party is likely to run someone in this special election. Ballot access in Georgia special elections does not require a petition, but it does require a very high filing fee, of almost $4,900 (3% of the annual congressional salary). It is believed the Libertarian candidate will be Dr. James Sendelbach. Assuming he does run, he will be the first minor party candidate on the ballot for U.S. House in Georgia, with the party label next to his name on the ballot, since 1942. For more information about him, see here (although the information is somewhat out-of-date).

H196, the bill in the Vermont House of Representatives to use Instant-Runoff Voting, has 49 co-sponsors. No action will be taken on it until the Secretary of State releases her study of IRV, which should be in a few weeks.

16 states use straight-ticket devices on general election ballots. However, in 5 of those states, bills are pending to abolish the device. Those 5 states are Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

The Kentucky bill, SB 53, is sponsored by the state’s only independent legislator, Senator Bob Leeper of Paducah. The New Mexico bill, SB 52, is sponsored by a Republican, Steve Komadina, so it probably won’t make any headway (since the New Mexico legislature has a Democratic majority). Republicans tend to be opposed to straight-ticket devices and Democrats tend to be for them, but there are exceptions. The New Hampshire Senate, controlled by Democrats, has already passed the anti-straight-ticket bill.