The petition deadline for candidates running in the District of Columbia presidential primary is January 4, 2012. Republicans need 296 signatures (1% of the number of registered Republicans). Only registered Republicans can sign. The only Republican presidential candidates who have even taken out blank petition forms are Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, and Mitt Romney. Only Romney has turned in any signatures so far.

In 2008, Fred Thompson took out blank petition forms in D.C., but he did not submit any signatures. The only Republicans who qualified in 2008 in D.C. were John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Rudy Giuliani. In 2008, the Republican primary required 298 valid signatures.

In the 2012 season, the only Green who has taken out petition forms for the Green presidential primary is Jill Stein. She needs 41 signatures.

U.S. District Court Judge John A. Gibney of Virginia has set a hearing in Rick Perry’s presidential primary ballot access lawsuit. He will consider Perry’s request for injunctive relief on January 13. In the meantime, he has established a briefing schedule, and also has instructed attorneys for Perry to communicate with all other Republican presidential primary candidates who had filed a declaration of candidacy, to explain to them how they may intervene in the lawsuit. This shows foresight and thoughtfulness on the part of the judge. The case is Perry v Judd, 3:11-cv-856. Judge Gibney is an Obama appointee. The issue is the state’s ban on out-of-state circulators. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the news.

On December 29, the Arizona Libertarian Party and the Arizona Green Party filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, complaining about the new version of the voter registration card. The new version, mandated by the 2011 session of the legislature, says the two largest parties in the state should be listed on the voter registration form with a checkbox for each. But if anyone wants to register into any other ballot-qualified party, or an unqualified party, or as an independent, the voter must write in that choice in the “other” box and check that box. UPDATE: here is the complaint. The case is Arizona Libertarian Party v Bennett, 11cv-856. It was assigned to Magistrate Judge Hector Estrada.

Arizona has five parties that are qualified for their own primary: Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Green, and Americans Elect. No state has ever before printed up voter registration forms that list some of the parties entitled to a primary, but not all of the parties entitled to a primary. Sometimes states list all the parties that are entitled to a primary. Sometimes states don’t list any parties, and let each voter write in the party of choice. It is difficult to imagine any state interest in a system that lists some of the parties entitled to a primary, but not all of them.

Being listed on the form is especially important for the smaller qualified parties, because the main method they use to remain on the ballot is to maintain registration of two-thirds of 1%. Libertarians generally maintain that level, and therefore need to re-petition for ballot status. Greens have never yet had their registration up that high, but obviously if they could reach that level, they would be hugely helped.