Maryland Green and Libertarian Parties File Ballot Access Lawsuit

On May 19, the Maryland Green and Libertarian Parties filed a ballot access lawsuit. Maryland Green Party v Hogan, 1:20cv-1253. The parties ask for a suspension of the law that requires them to submit 10,000 signatures in order to regain their political party status. It suggests that in 2020, the petition be set at 1,000 signatures. The lawsuit is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Hollander, an Obama appointee.

Here is the brief in support of injunctive relief. UPDATE: here is a news story about the lawsuit.

New York’s Highest State Court Will hear Rebecca Seawright Ballot Access Case

The New York State Court of Appeals, the highest state court in the state, will hear an appeal on whether Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright will be on the June 23 primary ballot. She is running for re-election. She failed to submit a cover sheet with her primary petition, but the state trial court and the mid-level state court put her on the ballot anyway, given the health crisis and the fact that part of the time she was in quarantine.

Constitution Party of New Mexico Nominates Sheila “Samm” Tittle for President

Even though the national convention of the Constitution Party chose Don Blankenship for president at its national convention earlier this month, the New Mexico Constitution Party has nominated Sheila “Samm” Tittle for president. She sought the presidential nomination at the national convention, but was defeated there, placing fourth in the final round.

The New Mexico Constitution Party is ballot-qualified. It will go off the ballot unless it polls at least one-half of 1% for president in November 2020. Tittle is not likely to poll that well. In 2012, when she was an independent presidential candidate, she was on the ballot in two states and polled 2,559 votes in the entire nation.

The Virginia Constitution Party, which is not ballot-qualified, is also considering nominating Tittle, but it has not made a nomination yet. Tittle is listed as a plaintiff in the party’s ballot access lawsuit, but Virginia allows presidential stand-ins, so Tittle is in the case as a stand-in, just as the Green Party also has stand-ins for president and vice-president listed as co-plaintiffs.

This post has been amended since it was first posted, concerning Virginia.

Arizona Supreme Court Removes Republican for Corporation Commissioner from Primary Ballot

On May 14, the Arizona Supreme Court removed Republican candidate Kim Owens from the August 4 primary ballot, so that the Republicans will only have two nominees for the three seats, unless Owens or some other Republican can obtain at least 6,663 write-ins in the primary. Branch v Owens, cv-20-0134. Thanks to Richard Grayson for this news. Here is the order.