BOSTON (AP) - The highest court in Massachusetts has ruled that the state's top election official had the right in 2008 to block the names of the Libertarian Party's national presidential and vice presidential candidates from the state ballot.
In 2008, local Libertarian candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency began collecting signatures of registered voters on nomination papers. Those candidates did not get the endorsement of the national Libertarian party at its convention. Secretary of State William Galvin refused to substitute the names of the candidates who won the national party endorsement for the names of the candidates listed on the nomination papers then circulating in the state.
The Supreme Judicial Court ruled Monday that under state election law, minor-party candidates are required to collect at least 10,000 signatures for their names to appear on the ballot.
