And in CD 9, Democrat Kyrsten Sinema defeated Republican Vernon Parker by 10,251 votes, with Libertarian Powell Gammill tallying 16,620.

Mesnard said some people try to "manipulate'' the system, saying his own mother, a Republican who lives in Southeast Arizona, has gotten mail from the Democratic Party urging her to vote for a Libertarian congressional candidate.

But he made the issue more personal for lawmakers, warning them that they, too, could find themselves aced out of a seat if they do not make the change.

"I can't believe we wouldn't see the benefit of this,'' he said during a floor speech.

Barry Hess, who has run for governor on the Libertarian Party ticket several times, called the legislation just another effort by the major parties -- and the Republicans who control the legislature in particular -- to keep candidates from his party off the ballot.

Campbell, in his Friday order, addressed none of that. Instead he focused on the time he was given to decide the issue.

"Signature gathering is well under way,'' the judge wrote. "Nomination petition are due next week.''

But Campbell said that does not invalidate the lawsuit.

"Plaintiffs challenge a signature requirement that will continue to apply in future elections if it is not invalidated by a court or revised by the legislature,'' the judge wrote. And that, Campbell said, means there is a legitimate reason for him to let the Libertarian Party have the opportunity to make its case -- and for the state to defend the law -- ahead of the 2018 election.

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