Pennsylvania held two special elections for State House on May 16.

In the 108th district, the percentages were: Republican 70.7%; Democratic 25.7%; Libertarian 3.7%. When this district had last held an election, in November 2022, there had been only a Republican on the ballot.

In the 163rd district, the percentages were: Democratic 59.5%; Republican 38.8%; Libertarian 1.3%. When this districdt had last held an election, in November 2022, the percentages had been: Democratic 64.3%; Republican 34.2%; Libertarian 1.6%.

On May 25, the U.S. Senate confirmed Nancy Abudu to be a judge on the Eleventh Circuit, which covers Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. She has a long history of legal advocacy for voting rights, especially in Florida while she was with the ACLU. She has been especially active in fighting for voting rights for ex-felons, but she has been involved with ballot access also. At one point she was prepared to represent minor parties against the 2011 Florida law that requires some ballot-qualified parties to submit a very difficult petition if they want to run for president, but then she changed employers and she couldn’t proceed with that case.

The District of Columbia permits the initiative process. An initiative is about to start circulating that would provide for ranked choice voting in partisan primaries and general elections. It would also provide that independent voters are free to choose a partisan primary ballot.

Unlike initiatives for top-four and top-five, it would not eliminate the ability of parties to have nominees. Here is the text. Thanks to Fairvote for this news.