George Skelton, veteran politics columnist for the Los Angeles Times, writes here that California needs write-in space on general election ballots for top-two offices. He says, “No write-in candidacies are allowed in California’s general elections, although they are in the primary. That’s an inexplicable flaw.”

California allows write-ins in all presidential general elections, and non-partisan elections, and in top-two primary elections. It is only top-two general elections that ban write-ins. The ban was created in 2012.

On April 16, the Hawaii House rejected the Senate amendments to HB 1716, the bill that eases the definition of a qualified party. Hopefully a conference committee will be set up to come to an agreement.

On April 17, the California State Appeals Court summarily refused to put Butch Ware, Green Party gubernatorial candidate, on the June 2 primary ballot. Ware v Superior Court of Sacramento County, C106053.