Some of the major party presidential candidates have started making public appearances in Iowa. In particulary, Hillary Clinton just made her first public campaign appearance (as a presidential candidate) in that state. If you have an opportunity for a face-to-face conversation with a leading candidate for the presidential nomination of the major party, please ask that candidate to agree to at least one general election debate (should that candidate by nominated) with the top 4 or 5 general election presidential candidates, not just a two-person general election debate.

On January 29, a bill will be introduced in the Vermont legislature to use Instant-Runoff Voting for one or two particular statewide state offices. The bill may have as many as 50 co-sponsors, and the bill is backed by the Secretary of State.

Connecticut has three types of political parties. Qualified major parties nominate by primary; qualified minor parties nominate by convention; unqualified parties nominate by primary. Currently, Connecticut permits fusion for the first two types of party, although not the third type.

Connecticut State Senator Mary Ann Handley, Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, has introduced Proposed Bill No. 556, to outlaw all types of fusion. Her action is surprising, since she herself was the beneficiary of fusion in last November’s election. She received 20,969 votes on the Democratic line and 1,118 on the Working Families line; her only opponent received 14,064 votes solely on the Republican line. Although she didn’t need the Working Families votes in order to win, one would think she appreciated them.