COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Ohio Republicans are signing petitions for independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader a day after he lost ballot bids in Missouri and Pennsylvania.
Nader needs to file 5,000 valid signatures of registered voters to get on the state's November ballot. His campaign submitted nearly 15,000 signatures earlier this month but Democrats successfully challenged the petitions.
The Ohio Democratic Party Monday filed a formal protest charging Nader's petitions were riddled with fraud, the Cleveland Plain Dealer said.
Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is considering a request to hold a hearing.
Nader received up to 2 percent support in recent Ohio polls. President George W. Bush and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry are virtually deadlocked in the Buckeye State.
Nader qualified for the ballot in Connecticut Tuesday.
His campaign may appeal a ruling by Pennsylvania judges that Nader can not run as an independent because he is on the ballot as the Reform Party presidential candidate in several states. His campaign failed to submit enough valid petition signatures in Missouri.
