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Mulling Over a New Policy for Comments

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Richard WingerApril 12, 2023

Ballot Access News has always allowed comments on blog posts, and these comments have hugely benefited me. Sometimes the commenters point out a factual error I had made. Sometimes they alert me and all readers of relevant important news.

Lately, though, most comments are comments about other commenters. So I am thinking of a policy in which I will delete comments unless they pertain to the particular blog post. It would be best if people would just voluntarily stop making comments that aren’t about the blog post.

Iowa Bill to Tell Parties How to Run Their Presidential Caucuses

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Richard WingerApril 12, 2023

Iowa Representative Bobby Kauffman (R-Wilton) has introduced House Study Bill 245. Read it here. It provides that parties that hold caucuses cannot let anyone vote other than a person who physically attends the caucus. It also provides that no one may vote in a caucus who has not been registered with that party for at least 70 days prior to the caucus. The bill has a hearing in a subcommittee of the House Ways & Means Committee on Wednesday, April 12. Kauffman is the son of the state chair of the Iowa Republican Party.

Parties in Iowa pay for their own caucuses, and do all the work of finding locations to hold them. Democrats have been planning to use a privately-administered system to allow persons to vote by mail in caucuses. Also traditionally Democratic rules permit anyone to join the party on caucus day. This bill appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court decisions on freedom of association for political parties. Thanks to David Sturrock for this news.

CATO Article Says Montana Should Not Pass Bill Using Top-Two for U.S. Senate Race in 2024

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Richard WingerApril 12, 2023

Andy Craig has published an article explaining that it is a bad idea for Montana to pass SB 566, the bill to use a top-two system only in 2024, and only for the U.S. Senate race. It is published on the Cato Institute’s website. See it at cato.org/blog/california-style-top-two-mistake-montana.

Democrats Set National Convention Dates and City

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Richard WingerApril 11, 2023

The Democratic National Convention will be in Chicago, August 19-22, 2024. The last time the Democrats met in Chicago was 1996.

The 2024 Republican convention dates and city had already been chosen: Milwaukee, July 15-18, 2024.

Republicans haven’t met in Chicago since 1960.

Tennessee Trial Court Enjoins New Law that Requires Nashville-Davidson County To Immediately Shrink the Size of the Council from 40 to 20 Members

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Richard WingerApril 10, 2023

On April 10, a Tennessee state trial court granted a temporary injunction against a law passed last month that requires Nashville-Davidson County to immediately reduce the size of its council from 40 members to 20. The Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County v Lee, Chancery Court, 12th district, Davidson County, 23-0336-I. Here is the opinion. Thanks to Democracy Docket for the link.