N.C. Supreme Court considers third party rules

RALEIGH, N.C. 

The Libertarians and Greens want North Carolina's highest court to strike down a law they say makes it too laborious and expensive a task to get on election ballots.

The state Supreme Court has scheduled arguments today in a case involving small political groups that contend the requirement to become official parties is unconstitutional because it restricts the speech of its members.

A group must collect tens of thousands of signatures to get on the ballot. The group must start over if neither its candidate for governor nor president receive 2 percent of the vote.

The Court of Appeals ruled last year the requirements weren't unlawful because the state has an interest to ensure a political party has some small level of support. The third parties appealed.