A federal appeals court has upheld Alabama's ballot access law that was challenged by third-party presidential candidates trying to get their names before voters in 2012.
The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld the decision of a trial court dismissing the lawsuit.
Alabama requires third-party candidates to collect signatures equal to 3 percent of the votes cast in the last governor's election in order to be listed on the ballot with their party affiliation. Candidates had to collect 44,828 signatures in 2012.
The Alabama Green Party, Constitution Party of Alabama, Libertarian Party of Alabama and candidates filed a 2012 lawsuit challenging the requirement as discriminatory against third-party candidates.
The 11th Circuit said the parties and candidates did not show how the state's requirement was overly burdensome.
Alabama's Ballot Access Law Upheld
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