The United Independent Party has been ballot-qualified in Massachusetts since November 2014. However, it will go off the ballot in November 2016, unless it either runs a presidential candidate who gets 3%, or unless the party has registration equal to 1% of the state total.

The registration alternative has been part of the Massachusetts law since 1990. So far no party has used it. It requires approximately 40,000 registered members. But the United Independent Party now has 20,941 registered members and hopes to be at 40,000 by November 2016. The party does not expect to have a presidential nominee, although that could always change.

In the meantime the party has kindly e-mailed its registered members and suggested that they may wish to temporarily leave the party, so as to be able to vote in one of the presidential primaries in March. The e-mail explains how to leave the party and how to re-enroll in it.

The Tenth Circuit will hear Parker v Duran, 15-2088, on Tuesday, March 8, at 9 a.m., in Denver. This is the case that challenges the number of signatures needed for an independent candidate in New Mexico. New Mexico requires all independent candidates to submit a petition of 3% of the last gubernatorial vote. No other state requires more signatures for independent candidates for statewide office, although Alabama is tied.

The plaintiff was an incumbent member of the Public Education Commission. He had been appointed. He wanted to remain on the commission, and he was an independent, so he was required to complete the petition. Although he came close, he did not succeed. If he had been a member of either a major or a minor party, his petition burden would have been substantially lower. The U.S. District Court upheld the 3% petition requirement.

The two co-chairs of the Commission on Presidential Debates, Democrat Michael McCurry and Republican Frank Fahrenkopf, Jr., say they would be pleased if three candidates meet their rules for inclusion in the general election 2016 debates. See this story.