Howard Hawk, an incumbent Circuit Judge in Marshall County, Alabama, wanted to run for re-election this year as a Republican. But his name has been removed from the Republican primary ballot. The primary is on March 6. See this story. Alabama lets political parties bar candidates from their primaries if the party deems the candidate is not sufficiently loyal to the party. The Marshall County Republican Party Committee removed Hawk because he had been elected in 2008 as a Democrat. He had switched parties in 2010. Alabama does not have registration by party, so party membership for public officials is defined by public statements made by the individual who is switching.

Others in Hawk’s position have responded by running as independent candidates, but Hawk says he will not do that.