On May 29, U.S. District Court Judge David S. Doty, a Reagan appointee, upheld the Minnesota law that requires all non-presidential independent and minor party petitions to be circulated in just 14 days. Libertarian Party of Minnesota v Simon, 0:19cv-2312. Here is the 14-page decision.

The decision says the short petitioning period is constitutional because the number of signatures for a statewide independent is only 2,000. However, the decision fails to note that an unqualified party would need many separate petitions if it wanted to run more than just a single nominee. The decision does not mention any state interest in the short period. The decision does not discuss the point that independent presidential petitions can be circulated over several months.

The decision also upholds the language on the petition that says the signer does not now intend to vote for anyone for the same office in any primary. The decision says that is not a severe burden, because the signer is later free to change his or her mind. Again, the decision does not any state interest in having such language on the petition. The U.S. Supreme Court Anderson v Celebrezze decision says judges are supposed to balance the interests of the state against the voting rights burden of the challenged law. This means judges are supposed to discuss the state interest in the challenge restriction.

On June 8, U.S. District Court Judge Janet Hall denied any further ballot access relief to Connecticut petitioning candidates in the August 11 primaries. Gottlieb v Lamont, 3:20cv-623. Here is the 22-page Decision. The Governor had already cut the number of signatures down to 70% of normal.

On June 8, U.S. District Court Judge Mark E. Walker refused injunctive relief to the Independent Party and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Their lawsuit is still alive, but they won’t get any relief for the 2020 election, unless they successfully appeal the denial of injunctive relief. Independent Party of Florida v Lee, n.d., 4:20cv-110. The relief they seek is to be on the Florida ballot for president in 2020.

Injunctive relief can’t be granted unless the judge feels it is clear that the law will be held unconstitutional, and the judge wrote that there is still doubt about the constitutionality. Here is the 21-page order.