The US Supreme Court has put Lawrence v Blackwell on its conference calendar for June 1, Thursday. Conferences decide whether to hear certain cases. Results of that conference won’t be publicly known until Monday, June 5. Lawrence v Blackwell challenges the March 1 Ohio petition deadline (for office other than president). The 6th circuit upheld it, even though earlier, courts in 13 other states had struck down deadlines in April, May and June (for office other than president).

If the US Supreme Court accepts Lawrence v Blackwell, it will be the first time since 1991 that the Court accepted a ballot access case. That last case was Norman v Reed, an Illinois case won by the Harold Washington Party (an African-American Party that was trying to get on the ballot for partisan offices in Cook County, Illinois). Although that case won in the U.S. Surpreme Court, it only interpreted certain peculiar Illinois laws in a favorable manner, so it hasn’t been much use as a precedent elsewhere.

Illinois State Senator James Meeks announced on May 19 that he will not qualify the “Honesty and Integrity Party” for the statewide ballot this year. Last week he had said he would. Meeks met with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich earlier in the day, and it is believed Meeks won a commitment for changes in the Governor’s budget for education at that meeting.

On May 17, the 10th circuit ruled that a state with the initiative process is free to provide that for certain subjects, initiatives cannot take effect unless they receive a “yes” vote of two-thirds of the vote. Initiative & Referendum Institute v Walker, 02-4105. In this particular case, the Utah legislature had provided that initiatives on the subject of “allowing, limiting, or taking of wildlife” needs 2/3rds voting support, not just majority support.