The state has appealed a federal judge’s order to cut the number of petition signatures needed by political candidates to be included on the August primary ballot in Michigan communities.

Granting a 50 percent reduction to the signature requirement could cause ballots to become cluttered with candidates who would normally not be able to gather enough local support to run for office, Assistant Attorney General Heather Meingast, argued during a Thursday hearing in Detroit federal court.

U.S. District Judge Terrance Berg heard arguments in a remote court hearing Thursday, April 23 for and against his previous ruling in the case of Esshaki v. Whitmer. He expects to rule on the appeal Friday, April 24.

“We’re under a significant time crunch here because the May 8 (deadline for petitions) isn’t that far away,” Berg said. “I have no idea how the Court of Appeals will get this done in time if it gets appealed ... time is of the essence.”

Earlier this week, Berg found that the restrictions imposed on daily life by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders in response to the coronavirus outbreak, combined with ballot access requirements, have created a severe burden on a candidates’ rights.

“Since March 23, 2020, traditional door-to-door signature collecting has become a misdemeanor offense; malls, churches and schools and other public venues where signatures might be gathered have been shuttered, and even the ability to rely on the mail to gather signatures is uncertain — if not prohibitively expensive," Berg ruled .

The judge pushed the filing deadline from April 21 to May 8, and cut the number of signatures required to run for office by 50 percent. He also ordered the state to accept digital petition signatures.

Related: ‘These are not normal times:’ Judge moves filing deadline, cuts signature requirements for primary candidates

Meingast said the state does not object to the extended filing deadline or the mandate to accept online petition signatures. She said the state has begun allowing the collection and filing of electronic signatures.

However, the state has filed a motion to stay the portion of the court order regarding the reduction of signatures. Meingast said the lead plaintiff, Republican U.S. House candidate Eric Esshaki, has collected enough signatures since he filed his lawsuit, which suggests the reduction isn’t necessary.

Esshaki, who’s seeking the 11th District seat held by U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D- Rochester Hills, estimated he had around 700 of the 1,000 signatures he needed when he filed his lawsuit against Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Director of Elections Jonathan Brater. He now has approximately 1,226 signatures, though he said his campaign hasn’t had the opportunity to vet all of them to be sure they’re all from registered voters in his district.

Esshaki said he received more than 100 signatures in his mailbox Monday morning, though it’s “very difficult” to determine when each signature was collected and which petitions came through the U.S. Postal Service or were dropped off in his mailbox by volunteers. He also suggested that the recent outpouring of support came because of press coverage of his lawsuit, and should not suggest the signature reduction isn’t necessary.

Other plaintiffs in the case argued Thursday that they wouldn’t be able to appear on the ballot without the judge’s order.

Deana Beard, a candidate for the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County, needs a minimum of 4,000 signatures to get her name on the ballot in August. To provide cushion, she said her campaign is aiming for 6,200 signatures.

She estimates her campaign had about 3,500 signatures by March 24, when the governor’s stay-at-home order went into effect. Since then, she’s collected another 110.

“This is a statewide problem and candidates like myself, if you take away the reduction, you are taking me off the ballot and I would have been on the ballot if not for the executive order and this pandemic," Beard said.

“I am detrimentally relying on this reduction."

Michael Cafferty, attorney for Matt Savich, candidate for the 47th District Court in Oakland County, said his client had few more than 300 of the 400 signatures he needed before April 21. He said mailers were not a “cost prohibitive” option and come with time limitations of their own.

“The 50 percent portion of the court order is essential for Mr. Savage to maintain his position on the ballot," Cafferty said.

The only other party who sided with the state during Thursday’s hearing was Jean Kordenbrock, an attorney for Whittney Williams, another 11th District Republican candidate for the U.S. House.

Kordenbrock argued that the reduction would be a violation of her client’s 14th Amendment rights because it would allow more time for other candidates who didn’t begin collecting signatures as early as Williams.

Berg said he didn’t see how Williams’ rights would be violated by the reduction. Instead, he said it appeared Williams would also benefit by the added signature cushion.

Candidates for U.S. Congress under normal circumstances must collect at least 1,000 signatures from registered voters. Judicial candidates across the state have to collect 40 to 6,200 signatures, depending on the race.

Berg concluded Thursday’s hearing with a request that final submissions from each party be made by noon Friday so he could have time to issue a decision by the end of the day.

As of Wednesday, April 22, Michigan has reported 33,966 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 2,813 deaths of individuals who tested positive for the virus.

CORONAVIRUS PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops) and when you go into places like stores.

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U.S. House candidate says gathering signatures ‘impossible’ under Michigan’s coronavirus stay at home order