Should Libertarian candidates be allowed on Ohio's primary ballot?

COLUMBUS — Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted could decide by week’s end whether to allow Libertarian candidates for statewide office to remain on the primary ballot or remove them due to paperwork issues, pending the completion of a hearing process that started today in Columbus.

Friday is the statutory deadline for counties to remove candidates’ names from the ballot for the May 6 contest. Currently included among candidates OK’d for inclusion are Charlie Earl, Sherry Clark and Steven Linnabary, Libertarian candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively.

But protests filed by two Columbus-area men and one Cleveland-area man contend the three candidates did not follow state law in collecting signatures and should not appear on the May primary ballot.

The challengers allege that paid petition circulators did not disclose their employers, as required by state law. John Zeiger, representing the challenger, named two circulators who failed to disclose their employer on petitions.