On the evening of Friday, September 15, the Executive Board of the Florida Republican Party repealed a bylaw that says no one can be on the party’s presidential primary ballot without signing a pledge to support the party’s presidential nominee in November. See this story.

Florida is one of the few states in which no one can get on a presidential primary ballot unless the state party approves. So far, former President Donald Trump has refused to sign any loyalty oath for the 2024 election. That is why he hasn’t been permitted to be included in the party’s debates. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.

As previously reported, a New York State Supreme Court had put Mike Stern on the November 7, 2023 ballot as an independent candidate for Putnam County Highway Superintendent. He had been challenged, even though he had enough valid signatures, because a form had not arrived in the office of the Board of Elections, even though Stern had postally mailed it six days before it was due. The Supreme Court had put Stern on the ballot despite the late arrival of the form.

But on September 12, the Appellate Division, Second Division, had removed Stern because his lawsuit to get back on the ballot had not been served on the Defendants by the correct date, so he is off the ballot, even though the Appellate Division found no fault with the substance of the lower court decision. Stern v Putnam County Board of Elections, 2023-08009. Here is the Appellate decision.

As noted earlier, some Colorado voters filed a lawsuit in state court on September 6, seeking to bar Former President Donald Trump from Colorado ballots. On September 7, attorneys for Trump transferred the case to federal court. On September 8, attorneys for the plaintiffs said the case should go back to state court.

On September 12, U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer sent the case back to state court, for technical reasons. Here is his order. Anderson v Griswold, 1:23cv-2291.