Libertarians won’t appear on La. ballots
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The Libertarian Party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates will not be on the Nov. 4 ballot in Louisiana, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Tuesday.
“Obviously, we’re pleased that we will not have to reprint the presidential ballots, which already have been mailed to military and overseas voters,” Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne said in a written statement. “Reprinting would have resulted in confusion, increased expense to the taxpayers, a setback in the absentee-by-mail voting process, and potentially delayed election results,” Dardenne added.
The deadline for candidates’ filings was Sept. 2, but Hurricane Gustav closed state offices in Baton Rouge that week.
Dardenne re-opened his office Sept. 8 and declined to accept filings after 5 p.m.
The Libertarians filed paperwork for presidential candidate Bob Barr and vice presidential candidate Wayne Root on Sept. 10, the day Dardenne’s staff sent 76,000 absentee ballots to a printer.
U.S. District Judge James J. Brady ruled the Libertarian candidates would have to be added to the ballot because of the disruptions caused by Gustav.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with Dardenne, concluding Libertarian officials should have made an effort to reach Dardenne’s office. A skeleton crew remained at the office the first week of September, according to court testimony.
The Libertarians appealed to the Supreme Court, which rejected that appeal Tuesday.
“Obviously, we’re pleased that we will not have to reprint the presidential ballots, which already have been mailed to military and overseas voters,” Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne said in a written statement. “Reprinting would have resulted in confusion, increased expense to the taxpayers, a setback in the absentee-by-mail voting process, and potentially delayed election results,” Dardenne added.
The deadline for candidates’ filings was Sept. 2, but Hurricane Gustav closed state offices in Baton Rouge that week.
Dardenne re-opened his office Sept. 8 and declined to accept filings after 5 p.m.
The Libertarians filed paperwork for presidential candidate Bob Barr and vice presidential candidate Wayne Root on Sept. 10, the day Dardenne’s staff sent 76,000 absentee ballots to a printer.
U.S. District Judge James J. Brady ruled the Libertarian candidates would have to be added to the ballot because of the disruptions caused by Gustav.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with Dardenne, concluding Libertarian officials should have made an effort to reach Dardenne’s office. A skeleton crew remained at the office the first week of September, according to court testimony.
The Libertarians appealed to the Supreme Court, which rejected that appeal Tuesday.
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