On July 3, the Socialist Workers Party regained qualified party status in Florida. Qualified status for a party in Florida does not depend on submitting a petition, or having any particular number of registered voters. Instead, it depends on the party’s submitting a list of party officers and bylaws. This sounds easy, and it is relatively easy, although the state is remarkably fussy about the details of a party’s bylaws.

Recently the Socialist Workers Party announced its presidential and vice-presidential nominees. They are James Harris, 64, for President, and Maura DeLuca, 33, for Vice-President. Harris was also the party’s presidential nominee in 1996 and 2000.

The ticket expects to appear on the ballot in seven states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Washington. That would be the fewest number of states that the Socialist Workers Party has been on the ballot for President since 1956, when it was only on in four states. States in which the party qualified for the ballot in 2008, but which the party won’t attempt in 2012, are Delaware, New York, and Vermont.

On July 6, Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter resigned from the U.S. House. See this article about the uncertainty over how to fill his seat. It appears state law requires that a special election be held on November 6, 2012, to fill the remaining two months of the term.

On July 7, Libya held a national election for its Congress, the first such election in that country in 50 years. See this article, which explains that Libya is using proportional representation, in combination with direct election of constituency seats.