On November 7, a Georgia state trial court enjoined the Catoosa County Republican Party from evaluating the political views of candidates in the party’s primary. The party in 2024 had tried to keep certain Republicans off the party’s primary ballot for county office, based on the views of the candidates. Henry v Catoosa County Republican Party, Superior Court of Catoosa County, sucv2024211. The Court also fined the party.

The decision makes no mention of the Catoosa County Republican Party’s pending federal lawsuit on the same issue. The state court decision says that the precedent the party had relied on, over whether the Republican Party had a right to exclude David Duke from its 1992 presidential primary, doesn’t apply, because presidential primary procedures are different than procedures for other office.

On November 4, two Working Families Party nominees were elected to partisan public office, even though they were not also Democratic nominees.

In Newburgh, for City Council ward 3, WFP nominee Tamika Stewart defeated her only opponent, a Democrat, by 392-323.

In Onondaga County, for the county legislative race, district 9, WFP nominee Nicole Watts defeated her Republican and independent opponents. No Democrat was on the ballot. Watts received 1,176; the Republican received 791; an independent received 125.

The Illinois Policy Organization, a non-partisan think-tank, says that Illinois ballot access laws for independents and minor parties is far too severe. See it here.