According to this Miami Herald story, the Florida Democratic Party’s plan for a new presidential primary has many troubles.
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On March 10, the U.S. Supreme Court docketed Schaefer v Lamone, 07-1143. The case arose in federal court in Maryland, against a state law that mandates candidates in primaries should be listed in alphabetical order. The plaintiff argues that equal protection requires some sort of random order, or rotation, since the research is strong now that order of candidates does make a difference. The lower courts gave no relief.
On March 12, Florida Democratic Party state chair Karen Thurman sent a proposal to various leaders of the national Democratic Party, the state Democratic party, and the Clinton and Obama campaigns. Her proposal is for a new presidential primary for Florida Democrats, to be completed June 3. It would combine mail-in balloting and in-person balloting and would cost between $10 and $12 million dollars. Thurman hopes for a resolution on her plan by March 14. See this article. The state party would pay for the primary itself, and is counting on massive donations for that purpose.
The Washington State House did not pass any of the National Popular Vote Plan bills, and it is now too late. SB 5628 has passed the Senate in February 2008, but it never made it through the House Rules Committee. Democrats have a majority in the House and could have passed it if they had wished to.
Washington state’s HB 1534, which improves ballot access for minor parties and independents, failed to move through the Washington Senate Rules Committee by the deadline, so it cannot pass.
It is tough to pass a bill like this, while the entire state is still waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court decision on its primary process. The case, Washington State v Washington State Republican Party et al, was argued on October 1, 2007, in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court still hasn’t issued the opinion.