Two Lonoke County Republicans who say they were wrongly prevented from running in the March primary filed suit Friday to get their names on the ballot.
Nathaniel House of Austin and Courtney Ruble of Cabot, represented by attorney Jason Kennedy of Jacksonville, complain that they were improperly excluded from the Republican ballot by Lonoke County Clerk Dawn Porterfield.
The clerk does not have the authority to keep them off the ballot once they've submitted their candidacy papers, the lawsuit states.
Ruble filed to challenge Porterfield for the clerk's position in the primary. House is seeking a constable post.
The two are petitioning Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce to install them on the ballot.
Defendants are Porterfield, Secretary of State Mark Martin, the Republican Party of Arkansas, the Lonoke County branch of the party; and Lonoke County election commissioners Charles Eick, Chris Gill and Hugh Keller.
Metro on 12/05/2015