The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association is hosting a gubernatorial debate on July 29. Betsy Johnson, the independent candidate who was formerly a Democratic member of the legislature, will participate, along with the Democratic and Republican nominees. See this story.
On July 27, the SAM Party announced that it has merged into the Forward Party. The press release says the Renew America Movement (which, so far, has been a pressure group, not a political party) is joining as well. The name of the combined party will be “Forward Party.”
As far as is known, neither the SAM Party nor the Forward Party is on the ballot for any statewide office in 2022, in any state. The group will focus its efforts on the 2024 election. UPDATE: see this story.
Here is the website for the Forward Party.
The Fourteenth Amendment, Section 2, says that if any state abridges the right to vote “in any way”, it should lose seats in the U.S. House in proportion to the number of voters whose voting rights have been injured. This powerful provision has never been enforced.
A lawsuit is pending in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., that would require the Census Bureau to enforce the provision. The Census Bureau is responsible for calculating how many seats in the U.S. House each state is entitled to, after every census. The case is Citizens for Constitutional Integrity v Census Bureau, 1:21cv-3045. Here is the amended complaint filed March 21, 2022. Thanks to Michael Drucker for this news. Three judges have been assigned to the case.
The Kansas primary is on August 2. The ballot contains one statewide measure, the “Kansas No State Constitutional Right to Abortion and Legislative Power to Regulate Abortion Amendment.” Unlike most states, Kansas does not put a number or a letter on the ballot to designate particular measures, which makes it awkward to prepare a bumper sticker or a yard sign.
According to this press release, the Kansas Libertarian Party, one of only three qualified parties in Kansas, recommends a “no” vote.
The Louisiana Secretary of State has released this registration data: Democratic 1,193,289; Republican 1,001,527; Independent Party 120,643; Libertarian 16,100; Green 2,493; Reform 920; Conservative 820; Constitution 221; Socialist 76; American Solidarity 9; independent and other 671,157.
Percentages are: Democratic 39.68%, Republican 33.30%; Independent Party 4.01%; Libertarian .54%; Green .08%; Reform .03%; Conservative .03%; Constitution .01%; independent and other 22.31%.
November 1, 2021 percentages were: Democratic 40.12%; Republican 33.19%; Independent Party 3.66%; Libertarian .49%; Green .08%; Reform .03%; Conservative .03%; Constitution .01%; independent and other 22.40%.
