Washington State Gives Nader Ballot Spot as an Independent

SEATTLE — Presidential candidate Ralph Nader won a spot Wednesday on the November ballot in Washington state but suffered setbacks in his effort to be listed on Michigan, Oregon and Texas ballots.

The secretary of state’s office in Washington said Nader would be listed as an independent after he submitted 1,983 signatures. The minimum required is 1,000.

Also Wednesday, a federal judge rejected Nader’s claims that Texas’ tough ballot-access requirements for independent candidates are unconstitutional.

Nader supporters were in federal court in Michigan seeking an order to list him as the Reform Party candidate there. But U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman ruled that Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land could not be expected to choose between Michigan’s two warring Reform Party factions.

Nader also failed to qualify for the Oregon ballot because some petition sheets turned in failed to comply with the law.