On May 20, U.S. District Court Judge Terrence G. Berg slightly expanded the type of Michigan primary candidates who can benefit from his April ruling easing ballot access. The April ruling cut the number of signatures needed to get on the primary ballot and eased the deadline, but it was limited to candidates who had established a candidate committee (if they were running for Michigan state or local office) by March 10. The new order eliminates that requirement.

The new order was issued because a new intervenor in the original case, Shakira Hawkins, a candidate for Wayne County Circuit Court Judge, explained that she had gathered the statutorily required number of signatures, but she needed deadline relief. She couldn’t qualify for the deadline relief issued in April because she hadn’t filed a candidate committee by March 10. The new order eliminates the March 10 qualification. The new order will probably affect only a handful of candidates. It extends the petition deadline to May 22. Esshaki v Whitmer, e.d., 2:20cv-10831. Thanks to Thomas Jones and Rick Hasen for this news.