The Eleventh Circuit has set a briefing schedule for Stein v Secretary of State of Alabama, 13-15556. This is the case in which the Constitution, Green, and Libertarian Parties challenge the March petition deadline for new parties to submit approximately 44,000 valid signatures, in presidential election years. The parties’ opening brief is due January 14.

The Eleventh Circuit has three ballot access cases. Besides the Stein case, it has the challenge to Alabama’s special election petition requirements, and the Georgia case filed by the Green and Constitution Parties over the number of signatures required for President. The Eleventh Circuit includes Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

The only other circuit with that many cases of interest to minor parties and independents is the Ninth Circuit. It has the Peace & Freedom Party case over whether Peta Lindsay should have been allowed on the party’s presidential primary ballot; the Libertarian-Green case over Arizona’s voter registration form that lists only the Democratic and Republican Parties; and a challenge to Alaska’s ban on out-of-state petitioners.