On June 2, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval said he would sign SB 499, which moves the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties and non-presidential independent candidates to June. The old law required non-presidential independent candidates to file their petitions by February, and new party petitions were due in April. This good result is a consequence of the Green Party’s lawsuit filed on April 18, 2014, Green Party of Nevada v Miller, 3:14cv-210. The case had been on hold while both sides had waited to see if the legislature would improve the deadlines voluntarily.

UPDATE: Governor Sandoval actually signed the bill on June 10.

Nevada law still requires candidates to file declarations of candidacy early in the year, but now they have more time to finish their petitions. The 2016 petition for newly-qualifying parties requires 5,431 signatures.