Even though the Florida Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee have reached an understanding that Florida may have half its delegation strength, one of the lawsuits over this controversy is proceeding. Victor DiMaio filed a notice of appeal to the 11th circuit on June 4. DiMaio is a rank-and-file Democratic voter who says that the Democratic National Committee should not have been permitted to deprive any state of its delegates to the national convention. He had lost in U.S. District Court on May 28.

Election law lawsuits are not moot just because the election is over, although the Democratic National Committee will probably still argue that the appeal is moot. The case is called DiMaio v Democratic National Committee and Florida Democratic Party.

Brookings has published this thought-provoking essay by Professor Michael P. McDonald about the unintended consequences of the primary schedule, both for the Democratic race, and also the Republican race. Thanks to Rick Hasen’s ElectionLawBlog for the link.

On May 4, Lenora Fulani issued this statement: “When Americans choose a president we are making a statement about the person we select. But at certain times in history, we are also making a statement about ourselves. In my opinion, 2008 is that kind of election. I think the American people – black, Latino, white, immigrant, poor, middle class and rich, are not only looking for a change in the White House. We want to change the way we relate to one another. When I ran for president – as an independent – in 1988 and became the first African American and first female to gain admission to the presidential ballot in all 50 states, I was not running a campaign to win. The chances of a radical black female activist and developmental psychologist being elected president were somewhere between zero and none. I was running to build and to lay a foundation for an independent movement. In that campaign, I saw that Americans from all walks of life and from all communities were beginning to question the old categories, the old paradigms and the old-style of partisan politics. I think Barack Obama’s achievements are historic, not simply because he is about to become a major party nominee, but because he tapped into that deep desire that people have to create something new in American politics. The black community has been – and will continue to be – a major force in that creative process.”