In a sign of a breakdown into partisanship of local democracy in America, Republican and Democratic backed candidates in Kentucky are battling over signature requirements in local elections and the candidate backed by the Democrats could get knocked off the ballot for Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council.

A lawsuit filed on June 29 by Fred Brown in the Fayette Circuit Court against his election opponent Christian Motley is now scheduled for August 28. Brown claims that Motley did not have all 100 valid signatures of the district and he is trying to get his November general elections opponent knocked off the ballot. Indeed, the court seems to be interested in moving the case forward and noted that five of the signatures appear to be from one person.

Alex Scutchfield, Brown’s lawyer, has alleged in a letter related to the lawsuit that “Mr. Brown did not take the decision to file this case lightly… The fact is, though, Mr. Motley did not obtain enough valid signatures to run for this office. We look forward to presenting our case to Judge Scorsone next week.”

Brown is not the first Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council candidate trying to get his opponent disqualified. It was only in 2006, when Bill Robert filed a lawsuit against Julian Beard questioning some of Beard’s signatures.

Elections for the council are officially nonpartisan but the two leading contenders are each backed by one of the major parties. General elections for Lexington-Fayette on November 6 will include elections for mayor, city council, county commission and judgeships.