Judge denies Montana's request to throw out Green Party lawsuit
HELENA — A magistrate judge has denied Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton's request to throw out a ballot-access lawsuit by the Montana Green Party and its supporters.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston rejected Stapleton's motion to dismiss and ordered a December bench trial in the case after a court hearing on Tuesday.
The Green Party alleges that Montana's qualification requirements for minor political parties are unconstitutionally burdensome.
The lawsuit was filed after a state judge last year removed the Green Party from the 2018 election ballot. More than double the required 5,000 voters signed a petition to put the party on the ballot, but the party fell short of gathering valid signatures from at least 38 state House Districts.
Read more: https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/judge-denies-montana-s-request-to-throw-out-green-party/article_8f8f2293-e6af-512d-a0f0-2f33ada2ddf3.html