According to the West Virginia Secretary of State, petitions for Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr fell short. He turned in 13,036 of the 15,118 required by state law.

The Barr campaign website says a lawsuit will be filed on Tuesday and they will continue to collect signatures to exceed 20,000. The basis of the lawsuit will in Anderson v. Celebrezze. The LP objects to the “arbitrary date” established by state law for having petition drives completed. Republicans don’t have to officially file until their convention ends in September, so there’s no compelling reason to have independents submit signatures sooner. The Secretary of State’s spokesperson said it was unclear if county clerks will continue to verify signatures on Barr petitions.

Independent Ralph Nader has been certified for the ballot in West Virginia, and Constitution Party nominee Chuck Baldwin submitted 21,704 signatures, which should be sufficient. Cynthia McKinney is on the ballot under the Mountain Party, which has affiliated with the Green Party nationally.

On August 8, the California Senate Appropriations Committee passed AB 583, which establishes a pilot project of public funding, but only for the Secretary of State’s race in the year 2014. The bill was amended to be funded by voluntary state income-tax checkoffs. The money raised will be added to the taxpayer’s tax bill.

The taxpayer funding only puts money in the fund, and does not relate to which candidate should get public funding. The bill still discriminates against independent candidates, by requiring them to get twice as many qualifying contributions (15,000) as are required for major party nominees.

According to the campaign website, Cindy Sheehan has qualified for the ballot as an independent against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in California’s 8th district.

An email sent this afternoon to supporters says she turned in over 20,000 signatures with at least 10,198 qualifying.

Sheehan is the first independent House candidate to qualify for the California ballot since 1996. California’s requirement for independent candidates for U.S. House is the 4th most difficult in the nation (only Georgia, Illinois, and North Carolina have more severe requirements).

She has the endorsement of the local Peace and Freedom Party and Green Party.