After finding Ralph Nader had not met Wisconsin election requirements, a Madison judge prevented state elections officials from adding Nader to Wisconsin ballots.
Judge Michael Nowakowski decided yesterday Nader had not met several requirements and the State Elections Board could not advise counties to include Nader on November's ballot.
\The Elections board is free to send a certified list of candidates to counties, but without Nader's name on it,"" said Barb Cassidy, clerk for Judge Nowakowski.
Ballots will not be printed yet, however, because officials from the Nader campaign will appeal the decision with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. ""We're immediately appealing it,"" said Bill Linville, Wisconsin State Coordinator for Nader's campaign. ""We disagree with it, we think we can win and we're asking for expedited oral arguments.""
Following the appeal request, Judge Nowakowski halted ballot printing pending arguments with the Supreme Court at noon today, which may delay printing long enough to affect absentee voters. ""It has a significant impact on absentee ballots,"" said Kevin Kennedy, executive director of the State Elections Board. ""Counties that would've been telling their printers to start printing tonight have to wait until at least until tomorrow to make printing decisions.""
Absentee ballots must be ready no later than Sunday, Oct. 3.
To be on the Wisconsin ballot, all presidential candidates must have 2,000 signatures and also be represented by an elector from each of the eight Congressional districts. Last Friday, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin filed suit against Nader's election nomination because he did not have an elector from the seventh Congressional district representing him.
""Ralph Nader only had to do these two simple things to get on the ballot, but he failed to do them,"" said Seth Boffeli, the Democratic Party's Wisconsin communications director. ""It was our contention he shouldn't be given any special consideration not granted to any other candidate.""
Nader officials see the suit as an attempt by Democrats to avoid facing Nader in November. ""I think the Democrats are afraid to debate Nader on the issues,"" Linville said. ""They're going to any length to try to keep us off the ballot and from debating the issues.""
Boffeli said the chance of Nader stealing votes from John Kerry did not influence Wisconsin Democrats decision to file suit.
