In a 2-1 ruling yesterday (Wednesday), the State Objection Panel voted to remove Libertarian candidates from the November ballot in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Congressional Districts. The panel, which consists of Secretary of State Paul Pate, State Auditor Rob Sand, and Attorney General Brenna Bird, was tasked with determining if the Libertarian Party properly conducted county conventions to have their candidates’ names appear on the ballots. Pate and Bird voted to remove the Libertarian candidates, while Sand, the only Democrat in statewide office, voted to include them. In his dissent, Sand argues the decision to remove the Libertarians is against the principle of maximizing voter choice. Sand claims state officials lacked standing to challenge the Libertarian Party’s internal processes and failed to present valid objections to their nomination certificates. He says the Libertarian Party’s convention process, though unconventional, complies with state law and is protected under the First Amendment. The Libertarian candidates affected by the ruling won’t appear on the ballot unless they appeal the panel’s decision by Sept. 3. A link to Sand’s full dissent is included below
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