On January 7, two Arizona State Senators, both Republicans, introduced SB 1064. It would provide that independents, and members of unqualified parties, could vote in the presidential primary of their choice. The sponsors are Senators Jack Harper and Jim Waring.

They probably are not aware that on September 25, 2007, a federal judge in Arizona ruled that if a political party doesn’t wish independents to vote in any of its primaries, then that party can prevent their participation. The state did not appeal this decision.

On January 7, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Jonker of Michigan refused to issue an injunction, stopping the Democratic presidential primary that is set for January 15. The case is Hayes v Michigan Democratic Party, 1:07-cv-1237, western district. The plaintiff had pointed out that Barack Obama and John Edwards don’t appear on the ballot. She had also pointed out that Michigan Democrats have been deprived of their delegates, regardless of whom they vote for. She blamed the state, because all these flaws result from the fact that the primary is too early to conform to national Democratic Party rules.

The Michigan Democratic Party opposed the plaintiff. Therefore, the Judge said the lawsuit is just an intra-party dispute and that he would not get involved. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news. The Michigan presidential primary ballots do contain write-in space. There will probably be hundreds of thousands of write-in votes cast in the Democratic race. The ballot also contains a choice of “Uncommitted.”

The University of Oklahoma forum of prominent people who have talked about a “third force” presidential candidate this year has now concluded. Here is a report from the Chicago Sun-Times. Although the meeting attracted a capacity crowd, it does not appear to have generated any big news. Besides Mayor Bloomberg, the forum featured David Boren, Bill Brock, Bill Cohen, Jack Danforth, Susan Eisenhower, Bob Graham, Chuck Hagel, Gary Hart, Jim Leach, Sam Nunn, Edward Perkins (former US ambassador to the UN), Chuck Robb, and Christine Todd Whitman.