A federal judge's order puts Cornel West on North Carolina's fall ballot • NC Newsline

A federal judge has ordered the state Board of Elections to put presidential candidate Cornel West on the November ballot.  

In an order issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle wrote that the state Board of Elections’ decision last month to deny certification of West’s Justice for All party infringed on voters’ constitutional rights. 

In a 3-2 party line vote last month, the state elections board declined to certify Justice for All as a political party. The Democratic majority questioned the validity of petition signatures submitted for the group. 

County elections boards from a handful of counties reported fraudulent signatures, which prompted state board members to direct staff to contact more signatories. 

State office staff tried to reach 250 people by phone and spoke with 49. Of those, 18 said they didn’t sign and three didn’t remember signing. 

The board majority used these results, as well as questions about a third party that collected signatures on Justice for All’s behalf, to deny party certification.

Three petition signers sued. 

Boyle said using results of a limited telephone survey to conclude that “a substantial portion” did not sign and “many others” were not informed of the petition’s purpose “defies reason.”

Though West is a left-of-center candidate, well-known GOP lawyers represented the Justice for All voters. The Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party submitted a court brief supporting Justice for All.

Justice for All’s court win marked Monday’s second victory for alternative party candidates seeking ballot access. On Monday afternoon, a Wake Superior Court judge turned back the North Carolina Democrats’ attempt to keep Robert F. Kennedy Jr. off the ballot.