Although the Libertarian Party’s three statewide candidates are safely on the Illinois ballot this year, the only Libertarian who petitioned for U.S. House was removed from the ballot on August 26. He is Joseph Schreiner, running in the 16th district in north central Illinois. As a result, there is only one candidate on the ballot, incumbent Republican Adam Kinzinger.

Schreiner submitted a very small number of signatures, so the recent decision in David Gill’s case is of no help to him. But Schreiner would have remained on the ballot, except that two individuals named Chris Brown and Barry Welbers challenged his petition.

According to this story, on August 25, Evan McMullin’s campaign strategist, Rick Wilson, said McMullin will challenge bad ballot access laws in court. This seems peculiar, because no McMullin lawsuits have been filed. McMullin announced on August 8. A good reporter would have asked Wilson why no cases have been filed.

The Virginia deadline for independent presidential petitions, and the presidential nominees of unqualified parties, is August 26. The state received four petitions that may have enough valid signatures: for Rocky De La Fuente, Gary Johnson, Evan McMullin, and Jill Stein. Because most of the Johnson signatures were turned in early, the state has already determined that Johnson petition is valid. The state is still working on checking the Stein, McMullin, and De La Fuente petitions.

The Constitution Party submitted a petition, but it has already been held not to have enough valid signatures, because the number of signatures was below 5,000, and the requirement is 5,000. The Independent Green Party turned in a petition for Gail Parker, but it only has 4,312 signatures, so it is not valid.

Since November 1997, the only ballot-qualified parties in Virginia have been the Democratic and Republican Parties.