On November 18, the Florida legislature determined that the November 4 election for State House district 64 was not legal. As a result, a special election is needed. See this story.

Florida law says that when all the candidates for a particular partisan office are from the same party, then the primary for that particular office is open to all voters. In the case of District 64, there was a dispute over whether a write-in candidate who filed for the race was a valid candidate. If he was a valid candidate, then the primary should have been open only to Republican voters. If the write-in candidate was not a valid candidate, then the primary should have been open to all voters.

The write-in candidate did not live in the district. A trial court ruled that he was not a valid candidate, and an open primary was held. Before the primary was held, but after the ballots had been printed, the state court of appeals ruled that the write-in candidate was a valid candidate. The state court of appeals said the state constitution does not permit the state to disallow a write-in candidate on the basis that he or she doesn’t live in the district, because candidates whose names are on the ballot do not need to meet that residency requirement, and there is no basis to discriminate against write-in candidates.

Because the state court of appeals decision came too late, the “wrong type of primary” was held, and now the legislature has determined that the process was therefore flawed and of no effect. In the meantime, the State Supreme Court will be deciding whether the State Court of Appeals was correct.

The Libertarian Party is now on the ballot for president in 2016 in thirty states. By contrast, in mid-November 2010, it was on in twenty-seven states.

The Green Party is now on the ballot for president in 2016 in nineteen states. By contrast, four years ago it was on in fourteen states. For purposes of this sentence, the District of Columbia is treated as a state.

The Constitution Party is now on the ballot for president in 2016 in thirteen states. Four years ago it was on in twelve states.

The Arizona Green Party submitted 30,000 signatures on November 14, so in all likelihood it will soon be on in Arizona. It has almost finished its Maryland petition drive and expects to submit those signatures in December, so it will probably soon be on in 21 states, the most it has ever had following a midterm election.

Relative to four years ago, the Libertarian Party has gained Maryland, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, and lost Ohio.

Relative to four years ago, the Green Party has gained Delaware, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

Relative to four years ago, the Constitution Party has gained New Mexico and Wyoming, and lost Ohio.

According to this story, the Liberal Democratic Party of Great Britain has received a bequest of 950,000 pounds, which is the equivalent of approximately $1,500,000 U.S. dollars. The donor died in 2013 and the bequest has only recently become known publicly.

If anyone left a bequest to an FEC-recognized political party in the United States, the McCain-Feingold law would require that the party could not receive the money all at once. Instead it would remain in the bank, and only about $32,000 could be placed in the party’s hands in any one calendar year.