On July 12, U.S. District Court Judge David G. Campbell held a hearing in Libertarian Party of Arizona v Reagan, 2:16cv-1019. The issue is the new law that sharply increases the number of write-in votes needed in the primary of a small qualified party to nominate someone. Because the primary is August 30, a decision, at least on injunctive relief, is likely to be issued soon. However, the state wants to depose some or all of the Libertarians who have filed to be write-in candidates in the Libertarian primary.

On July 12-13, U.S. District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw held a trial in Green Party of Tennessee v Hargett, 3:11cv-692. The issue is the number of signatures needed for a party to get on the ballot, 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote. No party in Tennessee has successfully completed the petition for party status since 1968. The plaintiffs are the Green and Constitution Parties. A decision is expected in August.

July 8 is the Nevada petition deadline for independent presidential candidates. The only independent candidate who filed is Rocky De La Fuente. He submitted approximately 14,000 signatures. The requirement is 5,431 signatures.

On July 6, Republican congressional candidate Philip Pidot withdrew his lawsuit over forcing New York to hold another Republican primary in the 3rd U.S. House district, but he will re-file it very soon. See this story.

He petitioned to be on the Republican primary ballot, but was told he didn’t have enough valid signatures. Later a state court ruled that he did have enough valid signatures, but it was too late to do anything about it. He then filed in federal court, arguing that the state must therefore hold a new primary just in his district, with his name on the ballot.