The Birmingham News has this story about the Alabama ballot access laws, and whether the 2023 session of the legislature might improve them.
Birmingham News Story on the Possibilities that Alabama Legislature Might Ease Ballot Access in 2023
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Pennsylvania election officials have revised the number of signatures needed for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, for district office. For the most part, the revisions increase the number of signatures. The revision was not posted to the state’s website until July 30, 2022. The petition deadline was August 1.
The original requirements for U.S. House, posted several months ago, were: district one 2,343; district two 1,000; district three 1,000; district four 1,748; district five 1,553; district six 1,715; district seven 1,654; district eight 1,571; district nine 2,200; district ten 1,822; district eleven 1,955; district twelve 1,419; district thirteen 2,321; district fourteen 2,277; district fifteen 2,291; district sixteen 2,138; district seventeen 1,814.
The new requirements are: one 2,338; two 1,000; three 2,300; four 2,211; five 1,901; six 1,783; seven 1,641; eight 1,563; nine 2,195; ten 1,812; eleven 1,946; twelve 1,995; thirteen 2,313; fourteen 2,272; fifteen 2,289; sixteen 2,138; seventeen 1,976.
The statewide total for the original figures is 30,821. The statewide total for the revised figures is 33,673. Fortunately the late changes do not seem to have injured any petitioning candidates. Pennsylvania always has trouble determining the number of signatures after a redistricting. It would save a great deal of work if the legislature would provide for a fixed number of signatures instead of 2% of the last winner’s vote, which is complicated when the boundaries change.
On August 19, some Missouri voters sued the Secretary of State, arguing that he should not have placed the marijuana legalization initiative on the ballot. See this story.
On August 19, a Florida state appeals court put Jerry Torres back on the Republican primary ballot as a candidate for U.S. House, 14th district. He had earlier been removed because Democrats challenged his declaration of candidacy. It was notarized by a Mississippi judge while Torres was in Africa. The state appeals court ruled that the challengers lack standing. See this story. Torres v Shaw, 1D22-2423. Here is the opinion.
The Florida primary is August 23. Technically, the lower court had ruled that votes for Torres should not be counted. It had been too late to remove him from the ballot, because the ballots are already printed.
Still pending is a case on whether Rebekah Jones should be on the Democratic primary ballot for U.S. House, District One.
D. Reed Eckhardt, an award-winning writer, has this op-ed in the Santa Fe New Mexican, marshalling evidence that eliminating party nominees does not help elect more moderate candidates. Thanks to Linda Templin for the link.