On February 2, the Missouri House passed HJR 43. It is a proposed constitutional amendment to require statewide initiatives to pass with 60% of the popular vote. If the bill passes the entire legislature, it will be on the ballot as a ballot measure in 2024.
The measure is worded so that the first sentence says the measure would require voters to be U.S. citizens. The language about raising the vote threshold to 60% follows, and is therefore less visible. Thanks to Ken Bush for this news.
The Oklahoma Election Board has released a new registration tally, as of January 15, 2023. The new percentages: Republican 51.88%; Democratic 29.48%; Libertarian .90%; independent and miscellaneous 17.74%.
As of November 1, 2022, the percentages had been: Republican 51.19%; Democratic 29.95%; Libertarian .86%; independent and miscellaneous 18.00%.
Two Colorado Republican legislators, Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer and Representative Mary Bradfield, have introduced SB23-101. Current law gives candidates of major parties two methods to get on a primary ballot. Either they win substantial support at a party meeting, or they petition on to the primary ballot. The bill eliminates the first path.
The bill also changes nominating procedures for qualified minor parties, and eliminates their ability to nominate by convention. Instead, each person who wants a minor party nomination must submit a burdensome petition. If only one candidate from any particular party submits a petition for a particular office, that person is deemed to be nominated. But if two or more candidates submit petitions for the same office, a primary is held for the minor party for that office. Thanks to Caryn Ann Harlos for this news.
Two Republican Arkansas legislators, Senator Mark Johnson and Representative David Ray, have introduced HB 1025, which would prohibit collecting signatures on election day within 100 feet from the primary entrance to any building which is hosting a polling place. Here is the text. The bill only applies to initiative and referendum petitions.
On February 3, the New Mexico Senate Rules Committee passed SB 73 by 8-1. It lets independent voters choose a partisan primary ballot, without having to join the party whose ballot the voter chose.
