On August 3, the US Court of Appeals, first circuit (which includes most New England states and Puerto Rico) ruled 5-2 that no international treaty requires the U.S. to let Puerto Rican resident-citizens vote for president.
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On August 2, the 8th circuit struck down a Minnesota law making it illegal for a candidate for state judge, or a state judge running for re-election, to attend political party meetings. The entire court ruled en banc. The vote was 10-3. Republican Party of Minnesota v White, 99-4021.
On August 1, a Pennsylvania state court judge ordered that write-in votes for two candidates for local office should count, even though some of the voters wrote the names of the candidates in the wrong place on the mechanical voting machines. The case was called Petition to Cumulate Write-in Votes, no. GD05-16656 and 05-16659, 5th district Common Pleas Court (Allegheny County). As a result of the decision, the write-in candidates won the Republican primary for Kennedy Township Commissioner and South Fayette Township Treasurer.
On July 29, Washington state, and the Grange, asked the 9th circuit to overturn the U.S. District Court ruling that the “top-two” primary violates the associational rights of political parties.
Also on July 29, the U.S. District Court issued its final order in the case, with details on how this year’s partisan elections will be held. The U.S. District Court did not grant a special Republican Party request. The Republican Party now has a bylaw, saying no one can have the word “Republican” on the Republican primary ballot, if that person did not get at least 25% of the vote at party endorsement meetings before the primary. Judge Zilly did not grant the party’s wish; he simply ignored it. Zilly did extend the petition deadline for minor party and independent candidates in this year’s partisan elections to August 27.
Unfortunately, on July 21, Oregon HB 2614 was signed into law by Governor Ted Kulongoski. It makes it illegal for any voter to sign an independent candidate petition and vote in the primary.