Published: Tuesday, 1/7/2014

BY JIM PROVANCE BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF

COLUMBUS Ohio cannot change the rules on minor parties for the 2014 ballot in mid-game, a federal judge ruled today.

Republican-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson in Columbus issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of a new law and ordering Secretary of State Jon Husted to follow through with his original directive granting several small parties spots on the primary election ballot.

The ruling, however, applies only to 2014.

Attorney General Mike DeWines office said it had not decided whether to appeal the ruling.

The Libertarian and Green parties had objected to the retroactive application to the current election cycle of a law theyve dubbed the John Kasich Re-election Protection Act. Senate Bill 193, passed by Republicans and signed into law by Mr. Kasich in November, would have voided the Husted directive putting the Libertarian, Green, Constitution, and Socialist parties on the 2014 ballot.

The upshot of that provision, along with other provisions in the bill, is that minor parties must start from scratch to qualify for ballot access, wrote Judge Watson, a 2004 George W. Bush appointee. if S.B. 193 goes into effect, the nominating petitions already filed by minor party candidates to appear on the 2014 primary election ballot in reliance on [Mr. Husteds directive] would be nullified, and the time and resources expended on those petitions will have been wasted.

The same judge in November put on hold another law passed last year by majority Republicans that raised the bar for proposed constitutional amendments, referenda, and other initiatives to quality for the 2014 ballot.

Once again, the courts stand with us and with the First Amendment rights of all Ohioans to political freedom and suffrage in Ohio, said Kevin Knedler, chairman of the Libertarian executive committee. The foundation of a democratic society is the right to vote and to have real choices on the ballot.

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Judge: Ohio cannot change rules in mid-game