On September 9, U.S. District Court Judge M. Hannah Lauck denied injunctive relief to the Powhatan County Republican Committee, in its lawsuit to force the state to print party labels on the general election ballot for county office. The basis for the denial of relief is that the party filed its lawsuit too late. The constitutionality of the Virginia law, barring party labels for county office, will be decided later.

The case is Robert G. Marcellus v Virginia State Board of Elections, e.d., 3:15cv-481. Virginia law provides that parties nominate candidates for county office, but party labels can’t appear on the general election ballot for county office. Party labels do appear on the ballot for federal and state office. The judge said the party should have filed the lawsuit much earlier, if it wanted injunctive relief for the November 3, 2015 election. The lawsuit was filed on August 17. The party had nominated candidates for county office in May 2015, and the judge said the case should have been filed then. Thanks to Rob Richie for news about this lawsuit.