On February 23, the North Carolina Green and Constitution Parties filed a lawsuit against many aspects of North Carolina’s ballot access laws. North Carolina requires more signatures than any other state for an independent presidential candidate, or the presidential nominee of an unqualified party, to get on the ballot (when the easiest method in each state is compared). Leifert v North Carolina State Board of Elections, m.d., 1:17cv-147. The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge William Osteen, a Bush Jr. appointee.

There are now constitutional ballot access cases filed by minor parties or independent candidates in 17 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.