The Peace & Freedom Party of California has enjoyed ballot status in all presidential elections 1968 through 1996, and 2004 to the present. PFP was a nationally-organized party in 1968, but the other state units of PFP ceased to exist shortly after 1968. Then the California Peace & Freedom Party became part of the nationally organized Peoples Party, which ran Dr. Benjamin Spock for president in 1972, and Margaret Wright in 1976. Then, the other state units of the Peoples Party ceased to exist.

Ever since then, the California Peace & Freedom Party has been a magnet for nationally-organized parties of the left. California law makes it extremely difficult for a new party to get on the ballot, and also makes it extremely difficult for an independent candidate to get on the ballot. But California makes it fairly easy for an already-qualified party to remain on the ballot. So, various nationally-organized parties of the left frequently try very hard to persuade PFP to give their own presidential candidates a lift, by putting that candidate on the California ballot. PFP always chooses its presidential candidate at a state convention in August.

In the past, the Citizens Party, the Communist Party, the New Alliance Party, the Socialist Party, and the Workers World Party, all tried to win the PFP presidential nomination. The only one of these parties that ever succeeded was the Citizens Party in 1984. In that year, PFP nominated Sonia Johnson, the Citizens Party presidential candidate. But in all other years, PFP has always said “no” to the nationally-organized parties. In 1980 and 1996, it nominated one of its own California activists for president, even though that person was not on the ballot in any other state. In 1992, it nominated independent Ron Daniels for president (he was from Ohio and was on the ballot in 9 other states). In 1988 it was unable to agree on a presidential candidate. In 2004 it nominated Leonard Peltier, who did not appear on the ballot in any other state.

This year the same pattern may repeat itself. Gloria La Riva, presidential candidate of the new Party for Socialism and Liberation, is seeking the PFP nomination, as this article in the party’s web page describes. The Socialist Party nominee, Brian Moore, is also seeking the nomination. Some PFP leaders wish to nominate Leonard Peltier again.

The Peace & Freedom Party has never nominated a presidential candidate who was on the ballot in enough states to theoretically win the election, and PFP has never polled as much as 1% of the presidential vote in California. Its best showing was in 1972, when Dr. Spock polled .66% in California on the PFP line.

The Sacramento Bee of April 6 has this article about PFP, and specifically a PFP plan to bring a challenge to a ludicrous California election law that makes it virtually impossible for a write-in candidate at a small party’s primary to win that party’s nomination.

Although the Arizona Reform Party has not been on the ballot statewide since 2000, it continues to run candidates for district office. In 2008 it is running Jack Kretzer for State Senate in the 24th district (Yuma County). The Reform Party did not attempt to qualify as a party in Arizona this year, but Arizona lets candidates who use the independent petition method choose a partisan label, and Kretzer’s label will be “Reform.” See this article.

The Democratic National Committee has agreed to make hotel reservations for the people whom the Florida Democratic Party has chosen as delegates to the national convention in Denver in August. Even though the National Committee doesn’t consider these individuals to be true “Delegates” , the hotel decision shows that many party leaders expect that to change. The Florida Democratic Party finished choosing its superdelegates on April 5. See this article.