Back in September 1999, the U.S. Taxpayers Party changed its name to the Constitution Party. This change was made democratically at the party’s national convention. All the states in which the party had been on the ballot as “U.S. Taxpayers Party” let the party change its name, except for Michigan. The party in Michigan formally re-named itself “Constitution Party” on September 29, 2007, and has found an attorney to bring a lawsuit, alleging that the First Amendment protects a political party’s wishes about what its name is. Oddly enough, this will be a case of first impression. Most states have no law on the subject of whether a party may change its name. However, most states that have been asked have permitted it.

On October 16, TV comedian Stephen Colbert said on his show that he will run in both the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries in South Carolina. The filing deadline for those primaries in November 1. He must pay $35,000 to run in the Republican primary, and $2,500 to run in the Democratic primary. However, Joe Werner, Executive Director of the South Carolina Democratic Party, said that if Colbert runs in the Republican primary, Democratic Party rules will bar him from the Democratic primary.

The Republican Party filing fee was $25,000 for presidential candidates who paid by May 1, 2007, and $35,000 for those who paid after that date.

Louisiana will be holding closed or semi-closed primaries for Congress starting in 2008. Louisiana has 5 qualified parties. Each party that desires to keep independents out of its congressional primaries must tell the Secretary of State by January 1, 2008. If a party doesn’t express itself, the Secretary of State will assume that the party wants independents to vote in its Congressional primaries.

The Republican Party has already told the Secretary of State that it doesn’t want independents voting in its Congressional primaries. The Democratic Party has already told the press that it does want independents to vote in its Congressional primaries. The Green Party had a state convention on September 8 and decided to let independents vote in its Congressional primaries. Libertarians will decide this question at a state convention on December 1. It is believed the Reform Party will let independents vote in its Congressional primaries.