The Ohio Libertarian Party lost its ballot access lawsuit yesterday, as the 6th Circuit Court refused to enjoin an Ohio law that requires petitioners to fill out a blank on each petition sheet showing the employer of the circulator.
As a result, gubernatorial candidate Charlie Earl, lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Sherri Clark, and candidate for attorney general Steve Linnabary will not be on the ballot unless the U.S. Supreme Court chooses to take on the case.
A political party in Ohio needs to run a gubernatorial candidate this year that get at least 2 percent of the vote in order to qualify for ballot access, so the Ohio LP not having a gubernatorial candidate on the ballot will result in the party losing its ballot access after the general election. It will have to petition to get back on the ballot for future elections.
From Libertarian Party of Ohio Central Committee Chairman Aaron Keith Harris on the decision from the Sixth Circuit:
We are very disappointed in the court’s decision. Our lead attorney Mark Brown is asking the court for a stay, and is appealing the decision to the United States Supreme Court.
Whatever the outcome, the Libertarian Party of Ohio is looking forward to taking our unique message of fiscal responsibility and social tolerance to Ohio voters in the May 6 primary—where we expect thousands of voters to choose the Libertarian ballot—and in the general election with more than 20 candidates across the state.
