COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Libertarians in Ohio have sued the state’s elections chief alleging he’s refused to recognize them as an official political party and grant them the ballot access privileges that go along with that.
The Libertarians filed the lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court this week. Their lawsuit argues that presidential nominee Gary Johnson secured more than the 3 percent of the vote in November needed to qualify the Libertarians as a party under Ohio law.
Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted disagrees. His office says Johnson’s candidacy can’t establish party status for the Libertarians because Johnson ran as an independent and not as a Libertarian.
Party designation makes it easier for future candidates to run for office.
