On July 31, an independent candidate for U.S. House filed a lawsuit challenging the number of signatures for that office, in certain districts. Alabama is the only state which requires an independent candidate for U.S. House to obtain more signatures than are required for an independent candidate for president. Alabama requires exactly 5,000 signatures for independent presidential candidates, but this year in the 6th district requires 6,155.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 1979 that states may not require more signatures for an independent candidate for an office in just part of the state, than are required for a statewide office. That case was called Illinois State Board of Elections v Socialist Workers Party.
The new Alabama case is called Shugart v Chapman. It doesn’t have a case number yet, since it is being filed by postal mail in U.S. District Court. UPDATE: the case number is 2:08-cv-1382, northern district.
I hope he wins and is able to get something done. The whole basis behind the current law was “sour grapes” because the Republicrats didn’t like competition and TRIPLED the amount of signatures needed in the mid-90’s
Being a member of a party that is neither Democrat or Republican. I do indeed hope the rules and laws for ballot access in AL will change. It is sad that the big two parties always try to block the others from either being on ballots or on debates, etc…