In 2011, the Florida legislature made it illegal for anyone to seek the nomination of a qualified party if the candidate had been a member of another party in the preceding year. The Florida Libertarian Party has decided to challenge this law.

The basis for this challenge will be the U.S. Supreme Court decision Tashjian v Republican Party of Connecticut. In that 1986 case, the U.S. Supreme Court said that it would violate Freedom of Association for a state government to tell a party that it can’t nominate a non-member. Since then, the Colorado Democratic Party, and the New Mexico Green and Libertarian Parties, have won lawsuits against laws that are similar to the Florida law. Thanks to Bill Wohlsifer for this news.

Filing has closed in New Jersey. The U.S. Senate November ballot will have five nominees, those of the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Democratic-Republican Parties and an independent candidate who ballot slogan is “Economic Growth.” The Democratic-Republican Party is not allowed to use its name on the ballot, and is listed as the “D-R Party.” Its platform is somewhat similar to the Reform Party’s platform.

For the U.S. House races, there are five districts in which the D-R Party has nominees; two Libertarians; one Green; and 17 independents, with a possibility that a lawsuit will increase that number.

There is also a special election in the First Congressional District, with no Republican nominee. In that race, a Democrat is opposed by a nominee of the D-R Party and two independents. Here is a link to the Election Division’s web page, showing the candidates.

According to this story, one of the Oregon initiatives for a top-two system has collected 145,000 signatures, so it is very likely to qualify. It needs 87,213 valid signatures by July 3.

The initiative that is qualifying is the same form of top-two that is used in Washington and California. Its backers have raised $413,000. The initiative that is likely to qualify is not the alternate initiative that uses approval voting in the primary. Thanks to several readers for the link.