Voters will see gubernatorial candidate Mike Myers’ pick for lieutenant governor on their ballot this fall, not his original choice who later withdrew. A federal judge on Monday ordered Secretary of State Jason Gant to print ballots listing Lora Hubbel’s name as Myers’ running mate. Gant had refused to do so, saying there’s no state law allowing an independent candidate to be replaced. But Judge Lawrence Piersol said that was likely an “oversight” and that not letting Myers replace his running mate would infringe on his rights and impose an “unequal burden” on non-party candidates. Gant said he wouldn’t appeal Piersol’s order and would immediately add Hubbel to the official candidate list. Ballots will be printed in early September. “I’m very glad the court has decided this is how they want to do it, and we’re happy to do it,” Gant said after the ruling.
Myers and Hubbel both said they were pleased by the ruling. “We felt our position was very strong from the beginning,” Myers said.
Candidates nominated by political parties can be replaced by those parties if they withdraw by early August. But there’s no such provision in state law for independent candidates.
Myers’ original pick for running mate, Caitlin Collier, announced in June that she would step down due to family medical issues. Myers then tried to pick Hubbel, a former Republican state lawmaker who lost the Republican gubernatorial primary this spring, as a replacement.
Full Article: Judge orders Gant to add Lora Hubbel to LG ballot.