On August 25, the Republican National Committee picked Houston for its 2028 presidential convention. See this story. It is unprecedented in U.S. history for any party to choose a host city for a presidential convention that early. The party says it did so because the best venues are often reserved years in advance. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link.
On August 24, the California Supreme Court issued an opinion in Pico Neighborhood Association v City of Santa Monica, S263972. The decision interprets the California Voting Rights Act to require cities with racially polarized voting to avoid using at-large elections for city council, even if the affected racial or ethnic minority is not big enough to constitute a majority in any proposed district. In this case the plaintiffs, who are Latinos, want district elections, even though they are unable to produce a plan in which Latinos would be a majority in any district. Their proposal has one district that is 30% Latino. The opinion says the California law, which was passed in 2001, guarantees such racial or ethnic minorities a district that enhances their ability to elect a candidate of their choice, even if they wouldn’t have a majority and would need votes from other ethnic groups.
On August 18, U.S. District Court Judge J. P. Boulee, a Trump appointee, enjoined two Georgia laws that affect the voting process. Sixth District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church v Kemp, n.d., 1:21cv-1284.
Here is the order that enjoins the law that absentee postal ballots must have the voter’s correct date of birth written on the outer envelope. The law also requires the voter’s Georgia drivers license or state ID number on the outer envelope, or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number. The ruling says given that requirement, there is no additional need that the accurate birthdate be put on the outer envelope. The basis for the ruling is the “materiality” provision of the 1964 civil rights act. It protects the right to vote, even if the voter makes an error, “if the error or omission is not material in determining whether such individual is qualified under state law to vote in such election.”
The other enjoined law prohibits anyone from giving food or drink to a voter standing in line waiting to vote at the polls. The judge enjoined that law as applied to voters who are standing more than 150 feet from the entrance to the polling place, but declined to enjoin the law as applied to voters who are within 150 feet of the polling place. Here is the order on that issue.
The same judge had refused to enjoin these two laws in 2022 because the upcoming 2022 election was too close in time to the court proceeding.
The judge declined to enjoin the law that requires ballot drop boxes to be inside a building instead of outside. Thanks to Democracy Docket for this news.
Louisiana elects all its statewide executive posts, and all members of its legislature, to four-year terms on October 14, 2023. The Secretary of State has posted a list of candidates. See it here.
For legislature, the only minor party candidates are four from the Independent Party, and one Libertarian. For statewide office the only minor party candidates are four for Governor from the Independent Party, and one for Lieutenant Governor from the Independent Party.
There are eight independent candidates for the legislature.
On August 24, U.S. District Court Judith Levy issued an order requiring the Libertarian National Committee to post a bond of $20,000 in the lawsuit Libertarian National Committee v Saliba, e.d., 5:23cv-11074, if it wants injunctive relief to remain in place. The purpose of the bond is to cover damages to the Defendants in case the trial shows that the injunction granted yesterday was unjustified. Here is the order.
