On November 27, the Eleventh Circuit expedited the lawsuit Hall v Secretary of State of Alabama, 13-15214. This is the case over ballot access for James Hall, the only independent or minor party candidate who submitted any signatures to be on the ballot in the December 17 election for Alabama’s U.S. House, district one, special election.
The Washington City Paper has this interesting article on how the District of Columbia Libertarian Party is benefiting from being a qualified party. The party had never had that status until it polled enough votes in November 2012.
On November 27, the Ohio Green Party, and the Ohio Constitution Party, filed a motion to intervene in Libertarian Party of Ohio v Husted, southen district, 2:13cv-953. This is the lawsuit over whether the new definition of “political party” the legislature passed earlier this month can go into effect for the 2014 election. Here is the motion for intervention, which explains some of the problems for the two parties if the Court doesn’t grant relief.
On November 26, the California Libertarian Party, the Peace & Freedom Party, and the Alameda County Green Party, filed an appeal in Rubin v Bowen, the only case ever filed by minor parties against the California top-two system. The case is in state court and now goes to the State Court of Appeals, where it is case number A140387.
A U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ohio, will hold a status conference on December 4, Wednesday, in Libertarian Party of Ohio v Husted. This is the case on whether the new petition requirements passed by the legislature on November 6 can be used for the 2014 election. The party argues that due process does not permit addition of new, severe ballot access hurdles so late in the election season. The status conference will set deadlines for the briefs on each side, and it is likely that the deadlines will all be in December, so that the issue can be settled quickly.
