If President Biden and Vice-President Harris died in this period, the next President would be the U.S. Senate President Pro Tempore, Patty Murray of Washington state. Just now there is no Speaker. Thanks to Charles Stewart and Doug Hess for this thought.
On December 16, the Florida Secretary of State granted recognition to the Conservative Party. Its chair is Keith C. Westbrook of Gainesville.
On November 8, 2022, Libertarian Party nominee Sean Schriver, running for State House, district 71, polled 32.24% in a two-way race. That is the highest percentage for any minor party candidate for Iowa legislature since before World War II.
Iowa, unlike other midwestern farm states, does not have a history of strong support for minor parties. No minor party candidate has been elected to the Iowa legislature since a Populist was elected in 1891.
Until 2022, the highest percentage for a minor party candidate for the Iowa legislature had been in 1964, when Conservative Party nominee Reuben Rustad had polled 25.38% in a two-person race.
The 71st State House district is in Dubuque County. Schriver’s only opponent was a Democrat.
On December 21, the Georgia Libertarian Party filed this brief in Cowen v Raffensperger, n.d., 1:17cv-4660. This is the case against the Georgia 5% petition procedure for U.S. House candidates of minor parties and independent candidates. The case is still open for a decision on whether the law violates Equal Protection.
The brief, and the evidence that is attached to it, shows that the 5% petition was clearly passed to keep the Communist Party off the ballot. The evidence shows that the Communist Party had been the first to nominate a black candidate for vice-president, and that was a reason for the state’s hostility to allowing it on the ballot. The evidence also shows that when the 1986 amendments were passed, easing statewide petition requirements but not district office requirements, were passed in order to keep Libertarians and others from running legislative candidates.
The evidence is not attached to the link, unfortunately.
On December 23, the Hawaii Supreme Court upheld the state’s primary voting system. Malish v Nago, SCEC-22-682.
The Hawaii Constitution says in primary elections, no voter is asked to declare a party or declare independent status. It says each primary voter receives the primary ballots of all qualified parties, and if there are any independent candidates, also the primary ballot that only lists independents. The primary voter chooses one type of ballot and casts it.
The plaintiffs argued that the very act of the voter choosing one type of primary ballot is intrinsically forcing that voter to declare party memberhip, but the Court does not discuss this idea and merely says the plaintiffs have not stated a claim for which relief can be granted.
