Recent election reform news

On March 22, the Maryland Court of Appeals, the highest state court in that state, ruled that signatures on petitions may be valid, even if the signature is illegible. The ruling says that if the printed name on the petition and the address match the voter registration records, and the appearance of the signature matches in both places (whether it is legible or not) the signature is valid.  For details:
http://www.ballot-access.org/2011/03/22/maryland-court-of-appeals-says-signatures-can-be-valid-even-when-signature-is-illegible

Pew survey results on Americans' connecting to elections and campaigns

http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2011/03/connecting-to-elections-and-campaigns.html

Pennsylvania State Senator Jane Earll (R-Erie) has introduced two bills that would move Pennsylvania toward Merit Selection of appellate judges.
http://judgesonmerit.org/2011/03/21/merit-bills-introduced-in-pa-senate


The [Brennan Center for Justice- assisted] version of Bill 108 that will be introduced this afternoon would give Nevada’s voters the 21^st-century voter registration system they deserve.
http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/archives/nevadans_have_opportunity_to_upgrade_voter_registration_help_more_citizens_

Leslie Proll of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund points out that 40 percent of President Obama’s nominees to the federal bench are racial or ethnic minorities, and that the slow pace of confirmations undercuts the President’s efforts to diversify the judiciary.
http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/archives/the_week_in_fair_courts1

The State of Iowa Supreme Court is giving speeches and granting interviews with reporters.  Numerous “Law Day” events are scheduled across the state the week of May 4, including tours of the state Supreme Court and the justices’ chambers and an opportunity for private citizens to speak with the justices.
http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/archives/the_week_in_fair_courts1

On March 21, the Arizona Senate Judiciary unanimously approved HB 2304. This bill, sponsored by the Secretary of State and containing many election law changes, improves ballot access. It says that when a party qualifies for the ballot, it is then entitled to be on the ballot for two elections, not just one. Also it legalizes out-of-state circulators for all types of petitions. The bill had already passed the House. [HB 2304 will next be voted on the floor (the entire house) of the Arizona State Senate.]
http://www.ballot-access.org/2011/03/22/arizona-ballot-access-bill-advances

Non-profit Media Access Project filed a petition for a proposed rulemaking with the US Federal Communications Commission that would require that any person providing 25 percent of the funding for a political TV message or one-third of the money for a political ad on radio to be identified on the air. The group also called for the FCC to require that anyone providing 10 percent or more of the funding for such ads be listed in a TV station’s public file.
http://www.mediaaccess.org/2011/03/fcc-urged-to-require-identification-of-donors-behind-political-ads

Remember, "voting turnout and activism means spreading the word!"