An initiative idea has been filed with the Secretary of State of North Dakota. Signatures should start to be collected soon. It would provide that no one could run for Congress who would be as old as age 81 by the end of the term. See this story.

In 1995 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that neither states, nor congress, can add to the constitutional qualifications for service in Congress. U.S. Term Limits v Thornton. But the vote was 5-4 and the composition of the Supreme Court has changed since 1995. Also, the North Dakota initiative provides that in case the main point of the measure is held unconstitutional, and North Dakota can’t limit the age of congressional candidates, that the ballot should show for each candidate the age he or she would be at the end of the term.

On July 10, the California Senate Appropriations Committee passed AB 292. This is the bill that makes it easier for independent voters to obtain a presidential primary ballot, for any party that allows independents to vote in its presidential primary. Now it only has a vote in the Senate before it reaches the Governor. Traditionally, starting in 2004, independents have been allowed to vote in the Democratic presidential primary. But the Republican Party has only let independents vote in its 2004 presidential primary, but not any presidential primary since then.

The bill lets an independent voter phone, text, or e-mail the county elections office, letting the elections office know that the voter wants a particular party’s presidential primary ballot.

This story states that only 10% of Americans think democracy in the United States is working “very or extremely well.” This is further evidence that the American public is open to electoral reform.

On a personal note, I marched in a parade with other FairVote Illinois volunteers on Saturday, July 1 in Palatine, Illinois, and was somewhat surprised at the extent of the positive reception for Ranked Choice Voting along the parade route.