Judge: MI Law Burdens Independent Candidates

gaveltakenbyandrew-103
gaveltakenbyandrew-103

From the Associated Press — A federal judge says Michigan’s law governing how independent candidates can qualify for the ballot “severely burdens” the constitutional rights of attorney general candidate Christopher Graveline. District Judge Victoria Roberts issued a preliminary injunction Monday ordering the state to certify Graveline for the November ballot as long as he
submitted at least 5,000 valid voter signatures. She says the requirement to obtain 30,000 valid signatures within 180 days is arbitrary. Graveline, a federal prosecutor who quit his job to run, filed his lawsuit in July. He turned in roughly 14,000 signatures. Major- and minor-party candidates for attorney general are chosen at nominating conventions and do not have to circulate petitions. Republicans nominated state House Speaker Tom Leonard on Saturday, while Democrats backed lawyer Dana Nessel on Sunday.