On August 19, U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter received responses from all three sides in the Maine ballot access case. Souter is in charge of emergency appeals for the First Circuit while the Court is not in session. Maine is in the First Circuit. The case concerns whether Herb Hoffman should be on the ballot as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate.

The state of Maine and Herb Hoffman are on the same side. Both submitted briefs arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court should put Hoffman on the ballot. The state chair of the Democratic Party, who is trying to keep Hoffman off the ballot, is the only party to the lawsuit against Hoffman’s ballot access. The state chair, John Knutson, argued in his brief that it would violate the sovereignty of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, if the U.S. Supreme Court were to side with Hoffman. Knutson also argues that it is reasonable to exclude a candidate from the ballot if there is doubt that his witnessing was done properly. To see the briefs, go to www.scotusblog.com. The Maine matter is near the top of that blog. The state of Maine says it needs a decision no later than August 29.