Opinion ID: 1291641
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: The Libertarian Party of New Mexico and several of its candidates for public office sought to be placed on the ballot in New Mexico for the November 7, 2006, general election. Failing to obtain the requisite signatures required under New Mexico's election law, N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 1-8-2(B), 1-8-3(C), the Secretary of State refused to place the candidates' names on the ballot. The Libertarian Party and four candidates brought suit for declaratory relief against the Secretary of State and the County Clerk of Bernalillo County under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and filed a request for a preliminary injunction, alleging New Mexico's two-petition ballot-access scheme unconstitutionally burdens their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The district court granted summary judgment to the defendants and denied the Libertarian Party's Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(f) request for discovery. The Libertarian Party and four of its candidates (collectively referred to here as the Libertarian Party) [1] challenge the district court's grant of summary judgment and its denial of the Rule 56(f) motion. Exercising jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291, this court affirms.