In 2004, Ralph Nader challenged the Ohio law that requires circulators for independent candidates to be registered voters in the state. Both the U.S. District Court and the 6th circuit refused to rule on the constitutionality of the law. The 6th circuit had ruled on November 16, 2005, that the case is moot. Nader had then asked for reconsideration. On January 20, 2006, the Court asked attorneys for the Secretary of State to respond to Nader’s petition for rehearing. This indicates there is a fair chance that the rehearing will be granted.
Nader shamelessly employed fraudulent tactics nationwide to seek 2004 ballot access, collecting tens of thousands of phony signatures, associating himself with a sham Reform Party, allowing himself to be cynically used by GOP election operatives, etc. Thank goodness so many dedicated volunteer lawyers, coordinated by the Ballot Project, successfully exposed Nader’s dishonest tactics in myriad states. I’m all for ballot access, but it should be done honestly, in formity with state election laws.