Court rejects Republican effort to strike Barr from ballot

Libertarian Presidential candidate Bob Barr to remain on the ballot in Pennsylvania

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
3915 Union Deposit Road #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
http://www.lppa.org/

For Immediate Release:
September 17, 2008
Doug Leard (Media Relations) at Media-Relations@lppa.org or
Michael Robertson (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org

Philadelphia, PA - The Honorable Judge Johnny J. Butler of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected a Republican effort to set aside the substitute nomination certificate of Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, keeping Barr on the ballot. The lawsuit, brought by Cumberland County Republican Chairman Victor Stabile, claimed the Libertarian Party and Bob Barr mislead electors by continuing to collect signatures with the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPa) candidate's name on nomination papers after Barr was nominated in the National Convention on May 25, 2008. The signature gathering period began in February 2008 and ended on August 1, 2008.

"There is no legal mechanism in the Pennsylvania Election Code that allows for the substitution of candidates until the nomination papers are filed," explained LPPa Chair Michael Robertson. "We knew we would have to substitute the candidate and a Committee to Fill Vacancies was identified on every nomination paper. The only way to proceed under the law was as the LPPa had done by filing the nomination papers, withdrawal form, and substitution certificate. Judge Butler recognized there was no intent to mislead electors."

This case could have had dire consequences for the ability of voters to freely choose their representatives in government had the objector's petition been upheld. The current election laws in our Commonwealth favor some candidates at the expense of others. To help expand political choice in Pennsylvania, the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania urges support of the Voters Choice Act. This act, supported by Pennsylvania state senator Mike Folmer, will move Pennsylvania one step closer to free and equal elections as required by our Commonwealth Constitution.

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in Pennsylvania and the United States. More than 200,000 people across the country are registered Libertarians, and Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.