The Arkansas secretary of state's office spent about five hours Tuesday trying to justify -- at the request of a federal appellate court -- the need for a March 1 deadline for independent candidates in Arkansas to submit petitions seeking access to general-election ballots.
The deadline had been May 1 until state lawmakers moved it up in 2013, citing a need for more time for elections officials to review signatures while juggling other deadlines and complying with federal election laws.
But in a 2014 lawsuit, three potential independent candidates for office sued the state in federal court, saying the earlier deadline unfairly shortens their signature-collection time and forces them to collect signatures in colder weather. They alleged that the real driving force behind the change was a desire by established political parties to keep them from getting a foothold within the Arkansas electorate.
