A U.S. District Court in Ohio has expedited the lawsuit over whether the new ballot access restrictions can be imposed for the 2014 election. All briefs must be submitted by December 18, and the hearing might be held that same day. The judge says he will decide the case no later than January 8, 2014. The legislature last month passed SB 193, which removes the four minor parties from the 2014 ballot and says they must submit approximately 28,000 valid signatures for the party, and then separate candidate petitions, if the parties want to be on the 2014 general election ballot.