Ballot recall for Nader
unlikely at this point

As Nov. 2 approaches, the candidate
awaits a Circuit Court ruling

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader's bid to be included on the Hawaii ballot is still pending, but it appears unlikely at this late date there would be a decision that would put him on the ballot.

State Elections Chief Dwayne Yoshina has found after a review of rejected signatures that Nader supporters failed to submit the required 3,711 signatures to have his name on the ballot.

However, attorney Jay Friedheim, who represented the Nader campaign in the review process, said yesterday that the shortfall number dropped from 587 to 373.

Yoshina earlier had denied a review of signatures sought by supporters of Constitution Party presidential candidate Michael Peroutka. The Peroutka supporters fell 240 signatures short, according to elections officials.

Attorney Eric Seitz has filed a Circuit Court appeal of Yoshina's rulings. A conference is planned for Monday with the judge and attorneys to work out details on filing of briefs.

But by then, the Nov. 2 general election will be just a little more than a week away, and Deputy Attorney General Aaron Schulaner, who is representing Yoshina, said it is unlikely there would be a court order to include Nader and Peroutka on the ballot.

Ballots for the election have been printed and mail-in and walk-in absentee balloting is under way in Hawaii.

Nader has also failed to make the ballot in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oregon and Missouri, but has succeeded in winning a spot on ballots in Florida, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Overall, Nader will be on the ballot in 34 states and the District of Columbia.