On June 20, a Superior Court Judge in Maricopa County, Arizona, removed three Libertarians from the party’s primary ballot. They were all running for seats in the state legislature. Some Republican activists challenged their primary petitions, on the basis that some of the petition signers are registered independents.

Arizona elections officials had always believed that registered independents are free to sign any primary petitions, but the challengers argued that only registered Libertarians can sign a petition to place a Libertarian on the primary ballot. The judge agreed with the challengers. The party may or may not appeal. In any event, the three candidates are not allowed to be write-in candidates in the Libertarian primary for the same seats they had been running for, but every legislative district in Arizona always elects three legislators. The three Libertarians are free to be write-in candidates in the primary for one of the other legislative contests in that geographical area.

The New York Assembly passed A7492, the “Voter Friendly Ballot Act” on June 21, just before adjourning. Unfortunately the bill did not make any headway in the State Senate. The bill would have provided that the names of candidates for the same office should appear on the same column or row. It had many other provisions to make the ballot clearer and more easier to read. It also eliminated party emblems, probably to make more room for other information.

The bill passed in the Assembly by a vote of 143-1. The only “no” vote was Assemblymember Peter D. Lopez (R-Schoharie).

In 2010, both the Libertarian Party, and the Anti-Prohibition Party, qualified for the general election ballot in New York. New York generally permits candidates to be the nominee of multiple political parties. However, New York will not print the name of a candidate nominated for the same office by two different unqualified parties on the ballot twice. By contrast, if two or even three qualified parties nominate the same candidate for the same office, that candidate is listed on the ballot multiple times.

In 2010, both the Libertarian Party and the Anti-Prohibition Party nominated Randy Credico for U.S. Senate. When the State Board of Elections told him that he could not be listed on the ballot twice, he sued. Almost two years later, the case has an oral argument date. It will be argued in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on September 19, 2012. The case is Credico v New York State Board of Elections, 1:10cv-4555.