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The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire says it has cleared an important hurdle in its effort to have its candidates appear on the general election ballot Nov. 3.>> Download the FREE WMUR appWednesday was the deadline under state law for local supervisors of the checklists across the state to tell the LPNH and independent candidates if the nomination papers they submitted in early August were valid and were certified.LPNH vice chair and spokesperson Richard Manzo said Thursday afternoon that the various checklist supervisors certified 1,058 petitions in each congressional district. The fact that the number was the same in each congressional district was a coincidence, Manzo said.The number in each district surpasses a reduced threshold of 975 petitions in each district set by a federal judge in July. That number applies to statewide candidates for president, governor and U.S. Senate and for U.S. House candidates in each district. The requirements for down ballot candidates are fewer.The judge made the ruling reducing the requirement after hearing arguments in a lawsuit filed by the LPNH against Gov. Chris Sununu asking for relaxed ballot requirements. The LPNH cited the difficulty it was having collecting, in person, the required number of nomination papers due to the Stay at Home and Safe at Home orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.Normally, Libertarian candidates would have been required to obtain 1,500 signed nomination papers in each of the states two congressional districts. But the judge cut that requirement by 35 percent.The next step is for Secretary of States Office to verify the findings of the supervisors no later than Wednesday, Sept. 2. Manzo said party officials and candidates will deliver the certified petitions to the Secretary of States Office at 9 a.m. that day.Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan said his office will then do its own count of the petitions certified by the supervisors and verify that they meet the threshold. Once they hit the number, we will stop counting and their candidates will appear on the general election ballot, Scanlan said.Although the Libertarians may have met the threshold, it appears many of their nomination papers did not pass muster. Manzo told WMUR in early August that the party submitted 2,400 petitions in the 1st Congressional District and 1,600 in the 2nd District.Many nomination papers are routinely thrown out because the people filing them out are not actually registered voters in the town or ward they list as their address or their nomination papers are ruled illegible. But Manzo had said the party expected a 75 percent validity rate, far higher than the 44 percent rate apparently achieved in the 1st District and the 66 percent rate achieved in the 2nd District.Still, the bottom line, Manzo said, is that the party is pleased that it appears to have surpassed the necessary threshold.Thanks to the hard work of party volunteers, candidates, and their staff, the Libertarian candidates will appear on the ballot as Granite Staters have come to expect, Manzo said. Were grateful to the judge for his thoughtful and ultimately accurate ruling reducing our petitioning requirement, and to our attorney, Jon Meyer, who handled this uniquely challenging case with the skill and attention needed for a favorable ruling. Manzo said attending the Wednesday event to deliver the nomination papers to the Secretary of State will be eight Libertarian candidates: Justin ODonnell, U.S. Senate; Darryl W. Perry, governor; Zachary Dumont, U.S. House 1st Congressional District; Andrew J. Olding, U.S. House 2nd Congressional District; Manzo, Hillsborough County Treasurer; Nicolas Sarwark, Hillsborough County Attorney; Robert Daniel, state representative in Hillsborough County District 11; and Tobin Menard, state representative for Sullivan County District 9.If the statewide threshold is met, the Libertarian president candidate, Jo Jorgensen, will also appear on the ballot.

The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire says it has cleared an important hurdle in its effort to have its candidates appear on the general election ballot Nov. 3.

>> Download the FREE WMUR app

Wednesday was the deadline under state law for local supervisors of the checklists across the state to tell the LPNH and independent candidates if the nomination papers they submitted in early August were valid and were certified.

LPNH vice chair and spokesperson Richard Manzo said Thursday afternoon that the various checklist supervisors certified 1,058 petitions in each congressional district. The fact that the number was the same in each congressional district was a coincidence, Manzo said.

The number in each district surpasses a reduced threshold of 975 petitions in each district set by a federal judge in July. That number applies to statewide candidates for president, governor and U.S. Senate and for U.S. House candidates in each district. The requirements for down ballot candidates are fewer.

The judge made the ruling reducing the requirement after hearing arguments in a lawsuit filed by the LPNH against Gov. Chris Sununu asking for relaxed ballot requirements. The LPNH cited the difficulty it was having collecting, in person, the required number of nomination papers due to the Stay at Home and Safe at Home orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Normally, Libertarian candidates would have been required to obtain 1,500 signed nomination papers in each of the states two congressional districts. But the judge cut that requirement by 35 percent.

The next step is for Secretary of States Office to verify the findings of the supervisors no later than Wednesday, Sept. 2. Manzo said party officials and candidates will deliver the certified petitions to the Secretary of States Office at 9 a.m. that day.

Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan said his office will then do its own count of the petitions certified by the supervisors and verify that they meet the threshold.

Once they hit the number, we will stop counting and their candidates will appear on the general election ballot, Scanlan said.

Although the Libertarians may have met the threshold, it appears many of their nomination papers did not pass muster. Manzo told WMUR in early August that the party submitted 2,400 petitions in the 1st Congressional District and 1,600 in the 2nd District.

Many nomination papers are routinely thrown out because the people filing them out are not actually registered voters in the town or ward they list as their address or their nomination papers are ruled illegible. But Manzo had said the party expected a 75 percent validity rate, far higher than the 44 percent rate apparently achieved in the 1st District and the 66 percent rate achieved in the 2nd District.

Still, the bottom line, Manzo said, is that the party is pleased that it appears to have surpassed the necessary threshold.

Thanks to the hard work of party volunteers, candidates, and their staff, the Libertarian candidates will appear on the ballot as Granite Staters have come to expect, Manzo said. Were grateful to the judge for his thoughtful and ultimately accurate ruling reducing our petitioning requirement, and to our attorney, Jon Meyer, who handled this uniquely challenging case with the skill and attention needed for a favorable ruling.

Manzo said attending the Wednesday event to deliver the nomination papers to the Secretary of State will be eight Libertarian candidates: Justin ODonnell, U.S. Senate; Darryl W. Perry, governor; Zachary Dumont, U.S. House 1st Congressional District; Andrew J. Olding, U.S. House 2nd Congressional District; Manzo, Hillsborough County Treasurer; Nicolas Sarwark, Hillsborough County Attorney; Robert Daniel, state representative in Hillsborough County District 11; and Tobin Menard, state representative for Sullivan County District 9.

If the statewide threshold is met, the Libertarian president candidate, Jo Jorgensen, will also appear on the ballot.

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Libertarian Party says it has enough certified petitions for its candidates to appear on Nov. ballot - WMUR Manchester