Mike McGrath (D)
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-Attorneys general from 13 states have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Arizona's appeal of a decision that overturned a bevy of key election laws.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out Arizona's early-June petition deadline for independent candidates as well as its ban on out-of-state groups collecting signatures for petitions.
The state's petition-gathering rules were challenged by independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader. He sued Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer, specifically challenging the state's residency requirement for petition circulators and its June deadline for submitting signatures for independent presidential candidates.
Although a federal district court upheld Arizona's laws, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court ruled against them in July.
Signed on to the brief authored by Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath were attorneys general from Alaska, Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming.
From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.