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Libertarian Party Loses West Virginia Case

Submitted by lpin on Sun, 09/07/2008 - 20:43 |

Reported and reprinted by Richard Winger at Ballot Access News.

WEST VIRGINIA, US -- On September 5, U.S. District Court Judge John Copenhaver upheld West Virginia ballot access laws for president. Barr v Ireland, 2:08-0990.

The decision is 34 pages long. It puts heavy stress on the problems that a later deadline than August 1 would cause elections officials. Of course, if the state didn’t require so many signatures (over 15,000), the burden on the elections officials would be less.

Also the decision points out that the August 1 presidential deadline, combined with the 2% petition requirement, was met by the Libertarian Party in 2004, and by Ralph Nader in 2004. Also the decision points out that, this year, the Constitution Party and Ralph Nader qualified. Finally, the decision notes that if the Barr petition had started just two weeks earlier, it very likely would have succeeded.

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