RI AG won't appeal ballot access decision
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --The Rhode Island attorney general's office says it won't challenge a judge's decision that makes it easier for political third parties to get on the ballot.
U.S. District Judge William Smith last month struck down a provision of Rhode Island's ballot access law.
He said it was unconstitutional to force new political parties to wait until the year of an election to start collecting signatures to qualify their candidates for the ballot.
The Moderate Party of Rhode Island, which wants to run legislative candidates in next year's election, had challenged the ballot access law and sued Attorney General Patrick Lynch, among other defendants.
Lynch said Wednesday he would not appeal. He said the General Assembly can address the invalid portion of the statute if it wants. 