The CNN article says eight states have not yet issued social-distancing orders: Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The other forty-two states have. If a state has issued a social-distancing order and has not made any allowance for petitioning, it is likely to face pressure to suspend petitioning, or a lawsuit. But Louisiana allows any candidate to get on the ballot without a petition, so Louisiana is unlikely to be sued. Anyone in Louisiana can get on with a filing fee. Louisiana should be looked at as a model for the other states. Also Vermont has already abolished mandatory candidate petitioning this year.

On April 3, the Illinois Libertarian and Green PArties filed this motion for preliminary injunction in their ballot access case. The motion makes the case that the U.S. District Court should order the State Board of Elections to put those parties on the ballot, because the health crisis has made it impossible to collect a substantial number of signatures.

On April 2, the Federal Election Commission put out a new chart, showing primaries for federal office, and filing deadlines for candidates. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.