In Illinois, presidential primary candidates need 3,000 signatures to appear on a presidential primary ballot. Every Illinois presidential primary petition has been challenged, except for the Buddy Roemer petition. The deadline for filing challenges was January 13, and most of the challenges were filed during the last hour. See this story about the Republican presidential primary petition challenges, and see this story about the challenge to President Obama’s petition validity. UPDATE: here is a Chicago Tribune story.

In the past, a tradition has existed in Illinois that presidential primary petitions were never challenged, but that tradition seems not to apply this year. The only Republicans who filed in Illinois this year, besides Roemer, are Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum. President Obama is the only person who filed in the Democratic primary. See this link to the Illinois State Board of Elections web page, listing the candidates and noting which ones have been challenged. Thanks to Jack Dean for this news.

As has been previously reported, a U.S. District Court in Virginia kept Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich off the Republican presidential primary solely because he felt they had filed their lawsuit too late. They had filed it 70 days before the primary.

In 1992, David Duke filed a lawsuit to get on the Republican presidential primary ballot in Rhode Island. He filed it on January 7, 1992, and a court put him on the ballot, even though the lawsuit had been filed only 61 days before that presidential primary. The primary was held on March 8, 1992.

Also in 1992, Lyndon LaRouche and Eugene McCarthy both filed a lawsuit to get on the Democratic presidential primary ballot in Connecticut. They filed the lawsuit on February 6, 1992, and the 2nd Circuit put them both on the ballot, even though that lawsuit had been filed only 47 days before the primary. That primary was held on March 24, 1992.

Again in 1992, Lyndon LaRouche filed a lawsuit to get on the Democratic presidential primary ballot in Michigan. He filed the case on January 23, 1992, and an Ingham County Circuit Court put him on the ballot, even though the lawsuit had been filed only 54 days before the primary. The Michigan primary was held on March 17, 1992.

In 1980, Richard Kay filed a lawsuit to get on the Democratic primary ballot in Kentucky. He filed his lawsuit on April 14, 1980, and a U.S. District Court put him on the ballot, even though the lawsuit had been filed only 43 days before the primary. That primary was held May 27, 1980.

There may be more examples from additional 1992 lawsuits. That year, the Texas Supreme Court put Lyndon LaRouche on the Democratic presidential primary ballot; a Superior Court in California put LaRouche on the ballot on the Democratic ballot; and the Wisconsin Supreme Court put Eugene McCarthy on the Democratic ballot. Unfortunately I have not been able to learn the filing date for any of those three lawsuits.

The 4th circuit is considering the Perry/Gingrich appeal over laches.