California Top Two update

On July 14, U.S. District Court Judge Otis Wright set the date of August 22 for oral argument in Chamness v Bowen, the case that challenges the part of California’s top-two system that lets some candidates use their party label on the ballot but not other candidates. According to the order, although the judge is still inclined to uphold the ballot label law, he wants to be fair and to listen to oral argument.

Also regarding the California Top Two lawsuit, the scope of the case was potentially expanded on July 18, when a write-in candidate for U.S. House in the July 12 special election, for an office in the 36th district in western Los Angeles County, asked to intervene in the case.

Tea Party candidate Julius Galacki voted for himself, because the ballot contained write-in space, but his vote was not counted because the law implementing the top-two system says write-ins can never be counted in the general election for Congress and partisan state office.

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All-out assault on democracy in California

Two new bills in the California legislature would make it harder to register voters, and harder to circulate petitions for initiative, referendum and recalls. SB205 would make it illegal to pay people to register voters on a per-registrant basis. SB168 would do the same for people who circulate petitions for recall elections, or to put [...]

Houston Corporate Bigwig, Bill King Spreads Disinformation about Top Two Primary Systems

HOUSTON – Houston corporate bigwig Bill King recently wrote an article for the Houston Tribune which repeated much of the disinformation about Top Two primary systems. King’s first misrepresentation is his claim that third party candidates are unlikely to place first or second in a primary and “would rarely be represented on the November ballot.” [...]

California Superior Court Judge Upheld Key Parts of State Senate Bill 6, Maintaining Voter Disenfranchisement

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – On the heels of Lisa Murkowski’s declared write-in candidacy for re-election to U.S. Senate, a California judge interpreted state law to mean that write-in space should be removed from the ballot. Superior Court Judge Charlotte Woolard rejected a challenge to state Senate Bill 6, the “enabling legislation” for Proposition 14, the Top [...]

Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado May Need An Intervention

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado, the California Independent Voter Network and the Yes on Prop 14 campaign have asked the courts to allow them to intervene as defendants in the lawsuit against state Senate Bill 6. A hearing regarding whether they have legal standing to intervene is scheduled for Tuesday, August 24, 9 [...]

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Sacramento Press Conference Coverage and Pictures

SB6 Lawsuit to be Discussed at Tuesday Press Conference at California State Capitol.

Richard Winger and Christina Tobin to Host Sacramento Press Conference on Election Reforms

Free and Equal Radio Show – 8/17/2010