On October 28, a lower Iowa state court upheld the right of the state’s governor to permit all ex-felons to register to vote. Iowa Governor Tom Vlisack had issued the order in July, and an Iowa county district attorney had sued to overturn the Governor’s action.
On October 27, the US Court of Appeals, 11th circuit, refused to re-instate the Georgia State Photo ID requirement for voters at the polls. Last week a US District Court had forbidden the state to implement the ID law.
Two of the three 11th circuit judges who heard the case are appointees of President George H. W. Bush Sr. The third judge is a President Clinton appointee. The vote was 3-0.
The Elaine Brown hearing in Brunswick, Georgia, on October 27, seemed to go fairly well for her. The judge said he would rule on Monday, Oct. 31.
As expected, Green Party candidate Elaine Brown filed a lawsuit today in state court to win a place on the Mayoral Ballot for Brunswick, Georgia.
A decision of New Jersey state courts is forcing the Mayor of Plainfield, New Jersey, to run for re-election on Nov. 8 as a write-in candidate. The Mayor, Albert T. McWilliams, had served two terms as a Democrat, but he lost the Democratic primary in June 2005. The Republican nominee then dropped out, giving the Republicans a chance to choose a new nominee by committee, and the Republican committee chose Mayor McWilliams. However, a State Court of Appeals ruled on October 17 that the “sore loser” law prohibits the Republicans from choosing McWilliams. On October 20, the State Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal. The Republicans are left with no nominee on the ballot, and will support the Mayor’s write-in campaign.
