For most of this year, the Michigan Republican Party has been split into two factions, with each one claiming to be the legitimate state party.  On February 27, a state circuit court enjoined one of the persons who claims to be state chair from representing herself that way, until the trial, which begins on June 10.  Pego v Karamo, 17th circuit court, 24-658-AZ.

The fact that a Michigan state court is adjudicating an internal party split will create a precedent that courts can handle these disputes.  In the past, when qualified minor parties in Michigan have had similar internal disputes, the Secretary of State and the state courts have refused to adjudicate them.  That means that neither faction can place nominees on the ballot.  In Michigan, small qualified parties nominate by convention, not primary.

For instance, the American Independent Party had an internal dispute in1976, and the Secretary of State refused to put either set of nominees on the ballot.  The same thing happened to the Reform Party in 2000.  Michigan was the only state in the nation that kept Pat Buchanan off its general election ballot.  One faction of the Reform Party said Buchanan was its nominee; the other faction said it was John Hagelin.  So the Secretary of State refused to adjudicate the dispute and kept both off the ballot.  In the future, the Pego precedent should prevent such an outcome for qualified minor parties.

Michigan held presidential primaries on February 27 for the Republican and Democratic Parties.

Here is a link to the unofficial results.

On February 27, American Values 24, the PAC that supports the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said that it has finished petitions for him in Arizona and Georgia.  Georgia requires 7,500 signatures for an independent or minor party presidential candidate.  Arizona requires 42,303.

Generally, American Values 24 relies on paid circulators.

There are other instances in history when an organization has carried out petition drives for an independent candidate, without coordinating with that candidate.  In 2004 the Michigan Republican Party circulated a petition to get Ralph Nader on the ballot as an independent candidate, and the Michigan state court of appeals ruled there was nothing illegal for a group to circulate a petition without consulting with the candidate.  DeLeeuw v State Board of Canvassers, 688 NW 2d 847.

Also, in 1968, groups submitted petitions putting Eugene McCarthy on the ballot as an independent in many states, even though McCarthy did not want them to do that.