• By BILL LODGE
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Sep 27, 2008 - Page: 9A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The Libertarian Party was blocked Friday from the Nov. 4 presidential ballot in Louisiana by a federal appeals court.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans also denied a request by the Socialist Party USA to have its presidential and vice presidential candidates added to the state’s ballot.

Secretary of State Jay Dardenne welcomed both decisions.

“We do not have to reprint the ballots,” Dardenne said. “I’m pleased the 5th Circuit has agreed with our decision to go forward with the ballots.”

The Libertarians, however, said they will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“It’s an absurd ruling,” Sean Haugh, the party’s political director, said of the 5th Circuit’s action. “It just completely defies all logic.”

The Socialists were considering an appeal.

“We haven’t reached a final decision,” said Brian Moore, presidential candidate of the Socialist Party USA.

Dardenne’s office had printed and distributed 76,000 absentee ballots after refusing to list the Libertarians and Socialists.

Neither party filed their paperwork by the Sept. 2 deadline — the day after Hurricane Gustav closed state offices for a week.

Dardenne’s staff notified both parties about 3 p.m. Sept. 8 that the office had reopened and that filings for the presidential race would close at 5 p.m. that day, according to testimony this week.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge James J. Brady, of Baton Rouge, ordered Dardenne to place the Libertarian candidates on the ballot because their paperwork was filed by Sept. 10, the day absentee ballots were sent to a printer.

Brady denied ballot access to the Socialists because they filed incomplete paperwork Sept. 11.

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