The New York Independence Party has a tradition of choosing its presidential nominee at the last possible moment. In 2000, it chose John Hagelin on September 24. In 2004, it chose Ralph Nader on September 26.

State chair Frank MacKay says this tradition will continue this year. The most likely date for the party to choose its presidential candidate is September 21, a Sunday.

New York state is able to cope with late decisions because it uses mechanical voting machines. One advantage of mechanical voting machines is that they can be easily and quickly set up. Elections officials don’t need to print entire ballots; they merely must print up narrow strips of paper which are inserted into the right slots on the face of the machines. However, New York will be giving up its mechanical voting machines after the November 2008 election, since the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) outlawed them.

The California Peace & Freedom Party state convention will attract a large attendance, since it will be choosing the party’s presidential candidate. The convention is August 1-3 in Sacramento, at the Hawthorn Suites, 321 Bercut Drive, in the northwest corner of the city. The Sutter Room has enough room for 150 people. Presidential candidates are invited to a forum, Friday evening, August 1. The presidential vote is set for 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 2.

One long-time activist in the party estimates that between 35 and 40 members of the State Central Committee are in favor of Ralph Nader; approximately 25 are in favor of Gloria La Riva; approximately 12 are in favor of Brian Moore; approximately 8 are in favor of Cynthia McKinney. There are 100 elected members of the State Central Committee. This is the largest number of elected members of the PFP State Central Committee since 1992. The 1992 state convention had a spirited contest between Ron Daniels and Lenora Fulani, which Daniels won.

Groups become qualified parties in Florida simply by writing a letter to the Secretary of State, listing their state officers. The Boston Tea Party, formed in 2006 by Libertarians who were unhappy with the shortened national platform, has just sent the needed letter to be ballot-qualified in Florida. Florida has approximately 25 qualified parties. Most of them never run any candidates. The Boston Tea Party expects to place its presidential and vice-presidential candidates on the Florida ballot this year, although it is not running for anything else in Florida.