Ballot access for third parties

Third parties often have to battle established institutions in order to get their candidates listed on ballots in national and state elections. Ballot Access News is an online newsletter that describes what it calls the "trials and tribulations" of individuals who attempt to gain ballot access. The newsletter is located at http://www.ballot-access.org/. Go to the Ballot Access News web site and link to the October 4, 1998 issue. There you will find a short story on a court challenge from a minor party candidate in Ohio who attempted to get on the ballot. After reading this piece, link to the January 1, 2000 issue for a follow-up report on this same case. Because they control state legislatures, and thus ballot-access procedures, some observers argue that the major parties have conspired to make it difficult for minor parties to gain access to the ballot. How did Ohio's dual system of ballot access-which was successfully challenged according to the Ballot Access News-lend support to these criticisms?