Election official says Santorum doesn't qualify for Indiana ballot

By: Lindsey Boerma
Topics: Campaign 2012

2012 - Florida Elections Rick Santorum speech

(Credit: CBS)

Rick Santorum has failed to qualify for the May 8 Indiana presidential primary ballot, the Marion County voter registration office determined on Friday - a decision that Santorum's campaign says it plans to challenge.

"We are very confident that we are gonna end up being on the ballot in Indiana," campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley told National Journal/CBS News. "We submitted almost double the amount of required signatures, and more than anyone else. We are working with Secretary of State's office and other state officials to ensure all of those signatures count."

Indiana law requires presidential primary petitions to contain 500 signatures from each of the state's nine congressional districts, and those signatures are certified or rejected by county voter registration offices. The petition filing deadline was noon on Jan. 31. In Indianapolis-based Marion County, which includes the 7th District, Santorum fell 25 signatures short.

The campaign said many of the signatures were rejected because of illegibility and extraneous markings, but a spokesman for the Marion County voter registration office said they expect Santorum to seek a new opinion on the basis of redistricting. New lines went into effect July 1, after petitions had been issued to the candidates.

President Obama, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Rep. Ron Paul - the only other active candidates - have all been certified for the ballot.

Lindsey Boerma
Lindsey Boerma covers the 2012 presidential campaign for CBS News and National Journal.
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by FormerUSMCSergeant February 4, 2012 10:11 PM EST: Election official says Santorum doesn't qualify for Indiana ballot
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When I saw the headline I though maybe he was disqualified becuse he supports a cult that conspires to commit pedophilia.....; Reply to this comment


by thebob-bob February 4, 2012 2:43 PM EST: If you can't qualify for the ballot, then you're not qualified to be the President.; Reply to this comment


by stevehamilton858 February 4, 2012 3:00 AM EST: This guy has about as much chance of getting elected as my cat. If it weren't for the power that the GOP evangelicals have, he would already be history. An anti-education presidential candidate who can't even figure out how to get on Indiana's ballot - hardly what the country needs at this point. He should get on the train to nowhere with Herman and Michelle and the Donald. The RNC should be fired for giving us such a weak candidate list.; Reply to this comment


by Lindag10 February 3, 2012 8:37 PM EST: You mean to say that many of Santorum's supporters are too illiterate to sign their names legibly? That's scary.; Reply to this comment


by Thinks_for_Self February 3, 2012 7:05 PM EST: You really have to wonder about this guy's ability to be the POTUS. The POTUS oversees the worlds largest bureaucratic creation and Santorum can't even manage to run a primary campaign well enough to get his name on the ballot. Does not fill me with trust in his abilities or qualifications to be POTUS.; Reply to this comment


by Former_Marine_Sgt February 3, 2012 6:49 PM EST: Santorum - your chances of being the nominee are less than zero.

give it up and save us all the time and money.; Reply to this comment

by artistscott February 3, 2012 6:26 PM EST

THIS GREEDY, LYING, RACIST BIGOT DOESN'T QUALITY TO BE A FRIGGIN DOG CATCHER. HE IS A LYING HOMOPHOBE. UP YOURS LITTLE RICK THE WHITE BOYS TRICK!

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by ProgressNow February 3, 2012 6:49 PM EST: Are you holding back on us...?

by ProgressNow February 3, 2012 6:01 PM EST

Take the hint Rick!!!!!!!!!

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by JEB726 February 3, 2012 6:35 PM EST: Don't think he knows what a hint is considering his beliefs. I think he's so predisposed on how the world should be according to his beliefs based on myths that some people has been condition with as truths.