Libertarians lose election legal battle

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- The Texas Supreme Court Tuesday denied a petition to remove presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain from the state's ballot.

The Supreme Court denied the petition, which was brought by Libertarians, without offering explanation, Legal Newsline reported.

Libertarian presidential nominee Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party of Texas said the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates should not be allowed on the statewide ballot because their respective parties missed a deadline to certify their candidates.

Texas requires political parties to certify their nominees before Aug. 26.

Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia, and the Libertarian Party had asked the Supreme Court to order the secretary of state to remove the Republican and Democratic tickets from the ballot because Obama and McCain were not formally nominated by their parties before the filing deadline.

Legal Newsline reported that Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie called the ruling a win for voters.

"Today's ruling by the Texas Supreme Court is a win for Democrats, Republicans, Independents and every Texan who wishes to exercise their right to cast a ballot for the candidate of their choice this November," Richie said.