PHOENIX (AP)  A Federal District Court judge, David G. Campbell, on Thursday denied a request by the Arizona Green Party to kick a majority of the party’s candidates off the November ballot.

The party says the nominees  homeless people and other candidates recruited by Republicans  were “sham candidates.” It says they were placed on the ballot “to mislead voters and rig the election process.”

Green Party and Democratic Party members say Republicans took advantage of a little-known provision in election law that allows people in some cases to become a Green Party nominee with a single write-in vote.

Democrats worry that Green Party nominees would be a tempting option for liberal voters who might otherwise support the Democratic candidate.