On July 19, the Green Party of Tennessee, and the Constitution Party of Tennessee, jointly filed a new lawsuit in federal court, alleging that the new ballot access law passed this year is just as unconstitutional as the old one. As reported previously, in September 2010 the old law was held unconstitutional. In response, the 2011 session of the legislature deleted the language on the petition saying the signers are members, and moved the petition deadline from March to April. The case is Green Party of Tennessee et al v Hargett, middle district, 3:11-cv-00692. Here is the complaint.
I really hope that a decision in favor of these parties happens in time to make the ballot for the 2012 election.
Where’s the Libertarian Party in this law suit? I know that the Libertarian Party of Tennessee was involved in the law suit which threw out the old ballot access law.
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#2, I’m hoping and anticipating the Libertarian Party of Tennessee will join the lawsuit soon. Plaintiffs can be added easily if the briefing hasn’t been started.
It is great to see the Tennesssee Constitution and Green parties joining forces, and I too hope the TN Libertarians enlist. Their ballot-access interests are identical despite their ideological and policy differences. If third parties can work together, one wonders why Tweedledum and Tweedledee find it impossible to do anything except work to preserve their shared duopoly.