Party seeks to block part of law

LINCOLN — The Libertarian Party of Nebraska is asking a federal judge to block part of the state’s petition law.

The party filed a motion Thursday for an injunction to allow out-of-state residents to collect petition signatures.

The party also asked to intervene in a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s petition laws.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in December, claims that parts of Nebraska law place an unconstitutional burden on citizens.

According to its motion, the Libertarian Party wants to re-establish itself as an officially recognized party in the state.

To do that, the party must collect signatures equal to 1 percent of the vote for president in 2008 — a total of nearly 6,000 signatures statewide.

“We believe the Nebraska petition law is written to keep the voices of the people silent,” party Chairman Gene Siadek of Omaha said in a statement.

The Libertarian Party was last recognized in the 2008 election, and there were 472 registered party members in fall 2008. The party lost its legal status following the election because none of its candidates for statewide office garnered 5 percent of the vote.

If this year’s petition drive is successful, the party is expected to nominate Michele Salach-Grace for state auditor.

The American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project and ACLU Nebraska filed the original federal suit against the petition law, as well as the Libertarian motion to intervene.

The original plaintiffs were Citizens in Charge, Michael Groene and Donald Sluti.

The suit challenged requirements for petition circulators to be eligible to vote in Nebraska, meaning that they must be state residents and at least 18 years old.

The suit also challenged requirements for getting independent candidates on the ballot and for identifying whether a circulator is paid or volunteer.

Contact the writer:

402-473-9583, martha.stoddard@owh.com

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