On May 4, the Florida Senate tabled SB 2086, and passed HB 1355 on second reading. These are similar (but not identical) bills that revise many election laws. Both bills make it almost impossible for a new party, or an old minor party that doesn’t have FEC recognition, to place a presidential nominee on the ballot. However, the House bill is worse. It requires a petition signed by 335,630 signatures to place a presidential candidate on the ballot, whereas the Senate bill requires 167,815.

It seems likely that the Senate will pass HB 1355 on Thursday, May 5. The legislature adjourns on May 6. It is difficult to believe that Florida’s Republican legislators can pass a bill like this, given that the Florida Constitution says, “The requirements for a candidate with no party affiliation or for a candidate of a minor party for placement of the candidate’s name on the ballot shall be no greater than the requirements for a candidate of the party having the largest number of registered voters.” That provision is in Article VI, section 1. The voters passed it in November 1998. All Florida legislators took an oath to support their state’s constitution when they were sworn in.