The Independent Party, which is on the ballot for most state and federal offices in Connecticut, but not all offices, has been allowed to intervene on the side of the Libertarian Party of Connecticut, in the ballot access case. Libertarian Party of Connecticut v Merrill, 3:20cv-467.
On May 19, the Independent Party filed this brief in support of injunctive relief. Thanks to Tim Cotton for this news.
On May 19, U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr., a Clinton appointee, issued an order easing certain requirements for Ohio initiatives to get on the ballot. Thompson v Devine, s.d., 2:20cv-2129. The order extends the petition deadline from July 1 to July 31. It allows electronic signatures. And it dispenses with the need for a witness signature from the circulator of the petition sheet. The relief only extends to the initiatives being circulated by the groups that brought the lawsuit.
This is the first federal court decision easing ballot access requirements for initiatives in connection with the current health crisis.
On May 19, the Constitution, Green, and Libertarian Parties filed this brief in support of a motion for injunctive relief. Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania v Wolf, e.d., 5:20cv-2299.
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.
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.
