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April 28th, 2011
On April 28, U.S. District Court Judge Noel Hillman, a Bush Jr. appointee, refused to grant injunctive relief to a candidate for New Jersey State Senate, Carl Lewis. The New Jersey Constitution sets a 4-year residency requirement in the state, in order to run for State Senate. Candidate Carl Lewis, who is famous for his success in Olympic track events and who wants to appear on the June 2011 Democratic primary ballot, argued that the New Jersey constitutional provision violates the U.S. Constitution, but he did not prevail. Here is the 2-page order. Here is a newspaper story about the decision. Lewis also has a lawsuit in state court, arguing that he meets the residency requirement. Thanks to Oliver Hall and Heidi Fuller for this news.
April 28th, 2011
On April 28, the Minnesota House Government Operations & Elections Committee passed HF 495, the bill for the National Popular Vote Plan. The committee has a Republican majority, but only one legislator voted against the bill.
April 28th, 2011
On April 27, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed HB 2335. It says that vice-presidential nominees’ names should be printed on November ballots. As a result, North Dakota is the only state which does not print the names of vice-presidential nominees on November ballots.
HB 2335 had started out as a bill to also delete the names of presidential elector candidates from the November ballot, but the idea of removing the names of presidential elector candidates from the ballot faced political opposition. Many candidates for presidential elector, for the major parties, are state legislators, and they apparently enjoy seeing their names on the ballot in their role as presidential elector candidates.
April 28th, 2011
On April 28, the Tennessee Senate, which had been set to debate the ballot access bill that day, postponed that bill until May 5. The Senate bill, SB 935, has seven amendments pending, some of which lower the number of signatures needed for a new party to get on the ballot. One amendment proposes 10,000 signatures, and another amendment proposes 6,000. This is the sixth time the Senate has postponed consideration of the bill. It was originally on the consent calendar for March 21, but was removed. Since then it has been scheduled for the regular calendar on March 24, March 29, April 7, April 14, and April 28, but each time it was postponed to a future day.
The House has already passed a companion bill that leaves the number of signatures at 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote (40,042 signatures). The legislature must pass some bill on this subject this year, because the existing law was held unconstitutional last year.
April 28th, 2011
As noted earlier, on March 30, a U.S. District Court Judge in South Carolina ruled that the Republican Party cannot close its primary to non-members, on the grounds that the party is always free to nominate by convention if it wishes. On April 27, the Republican Party filed a brief with the U.S. District Court, asking for clarification of the March 30 ruling. The party believes that the March 30 ruling is unclear on whether the challenged law is constitutional on its face, or constitutional as applied. Also, the party makes the case that the ruling is unclear on whether it is just a denial of injunctive relief, or a judgment that the case is now over in that court. A response from the state is due on May 16. Until these ambiguities are settled, it is not possible to know if the party will appeal. The case is The Greenville County Republican Party v State, 6:10-cv-1407.
April 28th, 2011
One of the Indiana legislature’s omnibus election law bills has been amended again, so that now, if current Republican Secretary of State Charlie White is removed from office, the office will go to the Democratic nominee. White is fairly likely to be removed soon, because he registered at a precinct at which he didn’t live, and also voted in that precinct. The existing law, which would continue to be in place if the bill passes, says the office goes to the candidate who came in second, which, of course, is the Democratic nominee.
HB 1242 had been amended in the Senate to change the law on succession, and to say that when most state offices become vacant, the Governor may fill the vacancy. But on April 26 the House had rejected that amendment. Now, the bill’s author, Representative Kathy Richardson, is amending the bill again to keep the new succession rules but to make them effective at a point in the future, so that the change won’t apply to the 2010 Secretary of State race. See this story. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
Comments Off
April 27th, 2011
On April 25, the Michigan Supreme Court issued this order, refusing to hear Socialist Party of Michigan v Secretary of State, 142163. The party had complained that Michigan requires almost twice as many signatures for a new party to get on the ballot, than it requires votes for an old party to remain on the ballot. The U.S. Supreme Court had said in Williams v Rhodes in 1968 that states cannot discriminate against new parties, relative to old ones. That decision struck down the Ohio ballot access law for new parties, partly because Ohio required more signatures for a new party to get on than for an old party to remain on.
April 27th, 2011
On the evening of April 27, the Oklahoma House passed SB 91, which requires candidates in presidential primaries to submit a copy of a birth certificate. The bill has been amended since it left the Senate, so it will need to return to the Senate. The vote in the House was 77-13, which means that some Democrats voted for the bill.
April 27th, 2011
Fred Karger, a Republican candidate for President, has been excluded from the South Carolina Republican Party’s upcoming presidential debate, even though he is willing to pay the $25,000 and even though he has filed as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission. Apparently the party has refused to permit him into the debate because of the rule that all candidates must be at 1% in a poll. However, Karger has submitted evidence of polls in which he does have at least 1%. See this story.
Comments Off
April 27th, 2011
On April 27, the 9th circuit agree to a rehearing en banc in Gonzalez v State of Arizona, 08-17094. This is the case in which the original panel in the 9th circuit had ruled 2-1 that the federal government’s “Motor Voter Law” precludes states from requiring voters to attach proof of citizenship when they register to vote. The federal law required states to recognize postcard registration forms, unless that state has election-day registration. Arizona’s law, requiring naturalized citizens to attach a copy of their naturalization certificate, seems by many to defeat the purpose of the postcard registration forms, which is to make it easy to register to vote.
The original 9th circuit panel include retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Sometimes retired U.S. Supreme Court justices sit in panels of lower courts. Thanks to Howard Bashman’s How Appealing blog for this news.
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Issues
available: |
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2012:
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2011:
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2010:
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2009:
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2008:
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2007:
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2006:
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2005:
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2004:
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2003:
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2002:
- December
2002 Issue
(V:18 N:8)
- November
2002 Issue
(V:18 N:7)
- October
1, 2002 Issue (V:18 N:6)
- September
1, 2002 Issue
(V:18 N:5)
- August
1, 2002 issue (V:18 N:4)
- July
1, 2002 issue (V:18 N:3)
- June
1, 2002 issue (V:18 N:2)
- May
1, 2002 issue (V:18 N:1)
- April
1, 2002 issue (V:17 N:13)
- March
1, 2002 issue (V:17 N:12)
- February
1, 2002 issue (V:17 N:11)
- January
1, 2002 issue (V:17 N:10)
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2001:
- December
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:9)
- November
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:8)
- October
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:7)
- September
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:6)
- August
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:5)
- July
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:4)
- June
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:3)
- May
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:2)
- April
1, 2001 issue (V:17 N:1)
- March
1, 2001 issue (V:16 N:12)
- February
1, 2001 issue (V:16 N:11)
- January
1, 2001 issue (V:16 N:10)
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2000:
- December
5, 2000 issue (V:16 N:9)
- November
16, 2000 issue (V:16 N:8)
- October
1, 2000 issue (V:16 N:7)
- September
1, 2000 issue (V:16 N:6)
- August
1, 2000 issue (V:16 N:5)
- July
1, 2000 issue (V:16 N:4)
- June
1, 2000 issue (V:16 N:3)
- May
1, 2000 issue (V:16 N:2)
- April
1, 2000 issue (V:16 N:1)
- March
1, 2000 issue (V:15 N:12)
- February
1, 2000 issue (V:15 N:11)
- January
1, 2000 issue (V:15 N:10)
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1999:
- December
1, 1999 issue (V:15 N:9)
- November
1, 1999 issue (V:15 N:8)
- October
1, 1999 issue (V:15 N:7)
- September
1, 1999 issue (V:15 N:6)
- August
3, 1999 issue (V:15 N:5)
- July
3, 1999 issue (V:15 N:4)
- June
1, 1999 issue (V:15 N:3)
- May
3, 1999 issue (V:15 N:2)
- April
3, 1999 issue (V:15 N:1)
- March
6, 1999 issue (V:14 N:12)
- February
6, 1999 issue (V:14 N:11)
- January
6, 1999 issue (V:14 N:10)
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1998:
- December
8, 1998 issue (V:14 N:9)
- November
8, 1998 issue (V:14 N:8)
- October
4, 1998 issue (V:14 N:7)
- September
4, 1998 issue (V:14 N:6)
- August
3, 1998 issue (V:14 N:5)
- July
3, 1998 issue (V:14 N:4)
- June
3, 1998 issue (V:14 N:3)
- May
7, 1998 issue (V:14 N:2)
- April
5, 1998 issue (V:14 N:1)
- March
8, 1998 issue (V:13 N:12)
- February
8, 1998 issue (V:13 N:11)
- January
5, 1998 issue (V:13 N:10)
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1997:
- December
5, 1997 issue (V:13 N:9)
- November
1, 1997 issue (V:13 N:8)
- October
6, 1997 issue (V:13 N:7)
- September
6, 1997 issue (V:13 N:6)
- August
4, 1997 issue (V:13 N:5)
- July
2, 1997 issue (V:13 N:4)
BAN.
changed to a 12 issue per year schedule.
- June
2, 1997 issue (V:13 N:3)
- May
5, 1997 issue (V:13 N:2)
- April
7, 1997 issue (V:13 N:1)
- March
10, 1997 issue (V:12 N:13)
- February
10, 1997 issue (V:12 N:12)
- January
12, 1997 issue (V:12 N:11)
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1996:
- December
12, 1996 issue (V:12 N:10)
- November
12, 1996 issue (V:12 N:9)
- October
12, 1996 issue (V:12 N:8)
- September
9, 1996 issue (V:12 N:7)
- August
12, 1996 issue (V:12 N:6)
- July
20, 1996 issue (V:12 N:5)
- June
26, 1996 issue (V:12 N:4)
- May
28, 1996 issue (V:12 N:3)
- May
3, 1996 issue (V:12 N:2)
- April
3, 1996 issue (V:12 N:1)
- March
6, 1996 issue (V:11 N:13)
- February
7, 1996 issue (V:11 N:12)
- January
14, 1996 issue (V:11 N:11)
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1995:
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1994:
- December
15, 1994 issue (V:10 N:10)
- November
15, 1994 issue (V:10 N:9)
- October
18 1994 issue (V:10 N:8)
- September
20, 1994 issue (V:10 N:7)
- August
23, 1994 issue (V:10 N:6)
- July
26, 1994 issue (V:10 N:5)
- June
28, 1994 issue (V:10 N:4)
- May
31, 1994 issue (V:10 N:3)
- May
3, 1994 issue (V:10 N:2)
- April
5, 1994 issue (V:10 N:1)
- March
8, 1994 issue (V:9 N:13)
- February
8, 1994 issue
(V:9 N:12)
- January
11, 1994
issue (V:9 N:11)
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1993:
- December
12, 1993 (V:9 N:10)
- November
14, 1993 (V:9 N:9)
- October
17, 1993 (V:9 N:8)
- September
19, 1993 (V:9 N:7)
- August
22, 1993 (V:9 N:6)
- July
25, 1993 (V:9 N:5)
- June
27, 1993
(V:9 N:4)
- May
30, 1993 (V:9 N:3)
- May
3, 1993 (V:9 N:2)
- April
5, 1993 (V:9 N:1)
- March
8, 1993 (V:8 N:13)
- February
8, 1993 (V:8 N:12)
- January
8, 1993 (V:8 N:11)
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1992:
- December
10, 1992
(V:8 N:10)
- November
6, 1992 (V:8 N:9)
- October
5, 1992
(V:8 N:8)
- September
9, 1992 (V:8 N:7)
- August
13, 1992
(V:8 N:6)
- July
17, 1992
(V:8 N:5)
- June
15, 1992 (V:8 N:4)
- May
24, 1992
(V:8 N:3)
- April
27, 1992 (V:8 N:2)
- March
30, 1992
(V:8 N:1)
- March
1, 1992
(V:7 N:13)
- February
2, 1992
(V:7 N:12)
- January
2, 1992 (V:7 N:11)
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1991:
- December
9, 1991
(V:7 N:10)
- November
11, 1991 (V:7 N:9)
- October
14, 1991 (V:7 N:8)
- September
16, 1991 (V:7 N:7)
- August
19, 1991 (V:7 N:6)
- July
22, 1991 (V:7 N:5)
- June
24, 1991 (V:7 N:4)
- May
30, 1991 (V:7 N:3)
- May
1, 1991 (V:7 N:2)
- April
3, 1991 (V:7 N:1)
- March
7, 1991 (V:6 N:12)
- February
9, 1991 (V:6 N:11)
- January
14, 1991 (V:6 N:10)
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1990:
- December
14, 1990 (V:6 N:9)
- November
12, 1990 (V:6 N:8)
- October
9, 1990 (V:6 N:7)
- September
11, 1990
(V:6 N:6)
- August
14, 1990
(V:6 N:5)
- July
18, 1990 (V:6 N:4)
- June
26, 1990
(V:6 N:3)
- May
24, 1990 (V:6 N:2)
- April
28, 1990
(V:6 N:1)
- April
2, 1990
(V:5 N:12)
- March
12, 1990 (V:5 N:11)
- February
12, 1990 (V:5 N:10)
- January
23, 1990 (V:5 N:9)
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1989:
- December
24, 1989 (V:5 N:8)
- November
27, 1989 (V:5 N:7)
- October
30, 1989 (V:5 N:6)
- September
26, 1989 (V:5 N:5)
- September
5, 1989 (V:5 N:4)
- August
4, 1989 (V:5 N:3)
- July
7, 1989 (V:5 N:2)
- June
9, 1989 (V:5 N:1)
- May
12, 1989 (V:4 N:12)
- April
14, 1989 (V:4 N:11)
- March
22, 1989 (V:4 N:10)
- February
27, 1989 (V:4 N:9)
- February
1, 1989 (V:4 N:8)
- January
1, 1989 (V:4 N:7)
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1988:
- November
1, 1988 (V:4 N:6)
- October
12, 1988 (V:4 N:5)
- September
16, 1988 (V:4 N:4)
- August
27, 1988 (V:4 N:3)
- August
1, 1988 (V:4 N:2)
- July
8, 1988 (V:4 N:1)
- June
15, 1988 (V:3 N:12)
- May
23, 1988 (V:3 N:11)
- April
19, 1988 (V:3 N:10)
- March
23, 1988 (V:3 N:9)
- February
24, 1988 (V:3 N:8)
- January
20, 1988 (V:3 N:7)
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1987:
- December
23, 1987 (V:3 N:6)
- November
19, 1987 (V:3 N:5)
- October
19, 1987 (V:3 N:4)
- September
21, 1987 (V:3 N:3)
- August
20, 1987 (V:3 N:2)
- July
14, 1987 (V:3 N:1)
- June
13, 1987 (V:2 N:12)
- May
18, 1987 (V:2 N:11)
- April
20, 1987 (V:2 N:10)
- March
13, 1987 (V:2 N:9)
- February
21, 1987 (V:2 N:8)
- January
21, 1987 (V:2 N:7)
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Additional
articles/essays:
- Politics,
Soviet-style by S. Philip Gordon, regarding recent ballot
access issues in Georgia the US state, not the Russian
territority!
Extra
Features:
Other
information:
- Here's how to subscribe
to Ballot Access News!
- Here's information
on Presidential Ballot Access as well as the
vote totals of recent Presidential elections.
- Here are some other
sites which may also be of interest:
Project
Vote-Smart
-
Project Vote
Smart is a citizens' organization dedicated to serving all Americans
with accurate and unbiased information for electoral decision-making.
It was inaugerated in 1992 by former US Presidents Jimmy Carter,
Gerald Ford, and other leaders. Its webpage offers information
about all ballot-listed candidates for all federal and state office.
[Added:040729]
- The
ACE Project
- An interesting
site concerning itself with the "Administration and Cost of Elections",
including issues of fairness and regulatory approaches in various
countries. They seem to be almost blind to the ways that third parties
in the USA are harmed by campaign finance rules crafted for the
problems characteristic of the larger parties, or the ways that
third parties would be disenfranchised by various proposed rules,
but this is nevertheless a useful resource, particularly for the
international comparisons it makes.
[Added:001206]
- "Unofficial"
B.A.N. Page
-
At first,
it looks like there's not much here. But then you follow the "Charts"
link, and click on one of the listed candidates, and you'll get
some truly wonderful nationwide maps of voting patterns.
[Checked:991014]
- ThirdPartyNews.net
-
A site that
covers news about minor parties.
[Checked:060414]
- Third
Party Central
-
Collects lots
of good information and links relating to various third parties
into one convenient location. Nice set of writings on why one
should vote third-party.
[Checked:991014]
- Atlas
of U.S. Presidential Elections
-
A surprisingly
complete listing of votes cast in Presidential elections, including
numerous third-party candidates and nice maps of vote distribution
by state and (on the individual state pages) by county.
[New-URL:010309]
- D.C.'s
Political Report
-
Very good
presentation of candidate and party information, including virtually
every known third-party group in the USA. Election results, candidate
information, etc.
[Updated:991214]
- Initiative
For Texas
-
A group trying
to establish the right to Initiative and Referendum in Texas.
Their work has intriguing parallels and overlaps with ballot access
work. Every page at the site seems to have some music on it, which
can get annoying after awhile, but otherwise it's an interesting
site.
[Checked:991014]
- Center
for Voting and Democracy
-
Folks concerned
with alternative voting systems, and related issues, from a moderately
leftist perspective. Useful articles describing how better systems
of voting and electing actually work.
[Added:000823]
The newsletter
is published by and copyright by Richard
Winger. |
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