Voter ID: Following a roughly three-hour hearing today in Corpus Christi, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered attorneys to file more briefs focused on how legislative proposals (Senate Bill 5, House Bill 2481) would affect the court case. Plaintiffs argued that current legislative proposals have no bearing on whether the 2011 law was passed with discriminatory intent. The state argued today that the bills would fix problems the court identified with the Voter ID law. Briefs are due March 21.
HD98: Colleyville resident Mica Ringo filed a campaign treasurer appointment with the Texas Ethics Commission for a potential challenge to Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake). Ringo’s partisan affiliation is unclear.
Corpus Christi: The city council has directed the city secretary to declare former at-large council member Mark Scott ineligible if he files for the special election to fill former Mayor Dan McQueen’s unexpired term. The city’s term limits rules require a council member or mayor who has termed out to wait six years before being eligible to run for city office again. Scott resigned in September, prior to the end of his last term, so he could run for mayor in 2018 (This election will coincide with the November general election.). He was later reprimanded by the council for attempting to avoid terming out. Dueling legal opinions argue that Scott is ineligible because a replacement was not sworn in until his fourth term would have expired and that he is eligible because one of his terms was less than two years.
Meanwhile, the filing period opened today (Tuesday). Former Mayor Nelda Martinez, who lost a re-election bid to McQueen in November, has filed candidacy papers. At least seven other candidates have announced their intentions to run.
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