On August 5, U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane, an Obama appointee, issued an opinion in Judicial Watch v Griffin-Valade, 6:24cv-1783. The issue is whether Oregon is failing to keep its voter registration list up-to-date, something each state is required to do under the 1993 federal Voter Registration law. The judge ruled that the Constitution Party is the only plaintiff that has standing to carry on the lawsuit. The other organization in the lawsuit, Judicial Watch, does not have standing, according to the decision. The case will now proceed to the merits.

The judge agreed that the Constitution Party is harmed by inaccurate voter registration records. All qualified parties in Oregon must keep registration of at least one-tenth of 1% and must pass the 1% vote test as well, to stay on the ballot. Parties that have registration of one-third of 1% don’t need to worry about the vote test.