Federal Court Will Hear Ohio LP’s Appeal for Ballot Access

Charlie Earl (L-OH)

A federal court judge will hear a complaint from Ohio Libertarian candidates who were removed from the ballot earlier this year.  The trial, scheduled for September 29, has been fast-tracked as the LP candidates are demanding the state place them on the November ballot before absentee voting begins.

Among the Libertarians fighting to get back on the ballot is Charlie Earl, the party’s nominee for governor and a former Republican state legislator.  Earl won about 180,000 votes or 5% as the Libertarian nominee for Ohio Secretary of State in 2010.

The Ohio Libertarians are accusing the Republican Party of dirty tricks in their efforts to block Earl and the rest of the LP candidates from the ballot.

The report from WFMJ…

Libertarians recently updated their lawsuit with what they say are Republicans’ connections in the case. They say a GOP consultant and appointee of Gov. John Kasich (KAY’-sik) was responsible for hiring the law firm whose challenge pushed two of their candidates off Ohio’s ballot.

Terry Casey worked for Kasich’s 2010 campaign. The governor has since appointed him chair of the state personnel review board.

Libertarians want Watson to restore governor candidate Charlie Earl and attorney general candidate Steven Linnabary to November’s ballot. They claim the disqualifications were partisan.

Casey has said Libertarian petitions were tossed legitimately.