This Orlando Sentinel article of February 14 says that the Secretary of State has disqualified the Independent Party from its qualified status, and has converted all its registered members to independent voters. The reason was that the party did not use a Certified Public Accountant for its 2014 audit.
Courts in New York, New Jersey, Colorado and Oklahoma have ruled that election officials must let voters register into unqualified parties that are active in elections. The issue has never been litigated in Florida. Thanks to Bill Lussenheide for the link.
When a political party forms in Florida, it is a requirement that the executive committee of the party include a change of party affiliation to that of the new party. There is no distinction in Florida law between a political party and a qualified party. Florida makes it quite simple and straightforward for a party to form.
Florida requires a public audit, it is a reasonable requirement that a Certified Public Accountant conduct the audit. In Florida, political parties receive some of the filing fee. It is reasonable to assure the public that such moneys are not converted to private purposes.
Florida has failed to meaningfully enforce F.S. 193.095(2). Without active participation of those who register with a party, how can anyone claim that it is a party.
Florida informed all registrants with the party that the party no longer existed, and gave voters an opportunity to affiliate with a different party. If they did not do so, they were then converted to No Party Affiliation.