The latest headlines on nonpartisan voting rights from across the nation. Enjoy.
Who Controls Primary Elections, And Who Gets To Vote?
Source: Jonathan Stahl, Constitution Daily
My Take: A good piece on its surface, but even better if you get into the weeds of the various links and additional stories/information on our primary systems.
Group Tries To Replicate Nonpartisan Nebraska Elections In Arizona
Source: Mark Brodie, KJZZ 91.5
My Take: Relax your eyes and let your ears takeover for this interview. Arizona is taking another shot at voter approval for a top-two nonpartisan primary but like Nebraska, without party affiliations on the ballot.
Arizona GOP Accuses Nonpartisan Election Reformers of Hiding ‘Dark Money’
Source: Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services/Verde (AZ) Independent
My Take: Here’s an interesting back and forth between the GOP that hates the top-two and the former mayor of Phoenix and Democratic nominee for governor-turned independent about what you have to report and when — with so-called “dark money” at the center of the debate.
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Challenge To State’s “Top-Two” Primary
Source: Kale Williams and Bob Egelko, SF Gate
My Take: Pretty straight forward piece on the challenge to Top-Two. The arguments against the challenge and the notation that the challenge was rejected by the California Supreme Court and now the U.S Supreme Court has decided not to hear the appeal.
League Of Women Voters Spark Interest in Nonpartisan Redistricting
Source: Jessica Haynes, Midland Daily News
My Take: From the discussion and relative to the drawing of legislative and congressional district boundaries, “’Michigan is one of the few states that has no standards at all in the Constitution…’ prompting some laughs from the audience.” Need I say more? It’s a good read and interesting to see how off the radar screen and how long it has taken for this to have surfaced there.
Here Are Reasons For Montana To Keep An Open Primary / Court Filings In “Closed Primary” Lawsuit Show Split In Montana GOP Is Alive And Well
Source: Jim Elliott, Great Falls Tribune / Mike Dennison, MTM News
My Take: Elliott is a former Democratic legislator and state party chairman who sees hypocrisy in the GOP effort — strongly opposed by moderate Republicans. The GOP says they have the right to choose their own, but the latest filing actually discusses purging moderate Republicans and electing only those who will follow the party line and platform. It’s quite a read.