On March 9, HB 1567 was introduced in Florida. It makes the procedures for minor party presidential candidates more specific than they were in 2004, but doesn’t make them any more difficult. Old law, which is very lenient, says any qualified party can put a presidential nominee on the November ballot if it submits a list of presidential elector candidates (all of whom must be registered voters in the party), and if it holds a national convention, and if it is a “national political party.”

The only changes made by HB 1567, relating to presidential elections, are to define two terms, “national political party” and “national convention.” “National political party” is a party that is on the ballot in at least one state other than Florida. “National convention” is “any caucus, convention, meeting or any other assembly of a political party gathered, whether or not such meeting is held in person or by telephonic or electronic means, with the intent of nominating candidates for President and Vice President of the U.S.”

An Associated Press story of March 8, about political parties in China other than the Communist Party, can be read at this link. China permits certain government-approved political parties (other than the Communist Party) to exist. However, they are not permitted to carry on election campaigns.

On March 8, Arizona SB 1205 passed the State Senate unanimously. Among other things, it lowers the number of signatures needed for a new party to get on the ballot in gubernatorial years, from about 26,000 signatures, to about 16,000. However, it does not make access any easier in presidential election years. The bill’s progress so far is due to good lobbying by the Constitution Party.