"... but some animals are more equal than others"

September 7, 2012:

Michigan voters looking for a third-party option in November will have to look somewhere other than the Libertarian Party.

U.S. District Court Judge Paul Borman in Detroit ruled Gary Johnson won't be on the ballot because of state law that prevents a candidate from losing in a primary for one party and running in the general election on another party's ticket.

May 5, 2014:

The U.S. Supreme Court denied the Libertarian Party of Ohio its chance to get a gubernatorial candidate on the primary ballot on the eve of Tuesday's election.

Ohio's elections chief disqualified that candidate, Charlie Earl, in March after his nominating petitions were challenged. Secretary of State Jon Husted agreed with a hearing officer who found that two Earl petitioners failed to properly disclose their employers.

May 23, 2014:

A federal judge in Michigan on Friday ordered Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) to be placed back on the state's Democratic primary ballot.

...

Earlier on Friday, the Michigan secretary of State had denied an appeal from Conyers because he did not have the necessary 1,000 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Due to a Michigan state law that requires people gathering petition signatures to be registered in the state, more than 600 signatures for Conyers were tossed out because the people who helped collect them were not registered to vote in Michigan, the country clerk had said.

...

"The State’s interest in combatting election fraud is compelling, but the State may protect that interest through a less restrictive means."

[U.S. District Court Judge Matthew] Leitman also said the Conyers campaign's failure to comply with the law appeared to be a good faith mistake.

...

The 50-year incumbent will now face off against primary opponent Rev. Horace Sheffield III, who first challenged the petition signatures.

Because DEMOCRACY, see?