Florida State Senator Jason Pizzo Switches from Democratic to Independent

Posted on by April 25, 2025
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On April 24, Florida State Senator Jason Pizzo said he is changing his registration from “Democratic” to “independent.” He was first elected to the State Senate in 2018, and re-elected in 2022. Both times he had no opponent on the November ballot. He lives in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, which is part of northern Miami. See this story. Pizzo had been the Senate Minority Leader.

The last member of the Florida legislature who was not a Democrat or a Republican was Senator Lori Wilson. She was elected as an independent in 1972, and re-elected as an independent in 1974.

Both Sides File Supplemental Briefs in New York Party Labels Lawsuit

Posted on by April 25, 2025
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On April 25, the state of New York filed its supplemental brief in Walden v Kosinski, 25-764. This is the lawsuit over an independent candidate in New York may choose “Independence” as part or all of his or her ballot label. The state’s supplemental brief insists that the ban does cover all independent candidates. The Second Circuit judges had asked both sides for a supplemental brief on whether the ban just applies to the names of qualified parties, or also to ballot labels for independents.

Later on April 25, the candidate who wants to use “Independence” as his party label filed a brief, agreeing that the law does apply to him and that it won’t permit him to use “Independence”.

This case will be decided very quickly, because we are now in the petitioning period for independent candidates in New York for 2025 elections.

U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., Rules that President Trump Does Not Have Power to Alter Federal Voter Registration Form

Posted on by April 24, 2025
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On April 24, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Katelly, a Clinton appointee, issued a 120-page order in League of United Latin American Citizens v Executive Office of the President, 1:25cv-946. It says that the President does not have the power to alter the federal voter registration form. In March President Trump had issued an executive order that applicants who use the form must attach documents that prove U.S. citizenship.

Connecticut Bill that Eases Paperwork for Certain Minor Party Candidates Advances

Posted on by April 24, 2025
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On April 14, the Connecticut Joint Committee on Government Administration & Elections passed SB 1156. This is the bill requested by the Independent Party to ease some of the paperwork for getting party nominees on the ballot. For a party that polled at least 1% for a statewide office in the last election, but which does not have qualified status for a particular U.S. House or legislative district, petitioning can commence without the need for a cumbersome declaration that the party has a committee in that district that has approved the party label.