The suit asks 3rd District Judge L.A. Dever to order the state to place Cobb and running mate Patricia LaMarche on the state ballot as the official Green Party nominees. The plaintiffs seek a temporary restraining order postponing the printing of ballots until the court has ruled. Currently, Utah's certified ballot has no Green Party presidential candidate.

State Elections Director Amy Naccarato said in an e-mail that she would not place Cobb on the ballot because he had not been designated as the nominee by the party leader of record, Jerry Parsons.

"My office will stick with the status quo unless we receive a court order" for the change, said Naccarato.

The lawsuit claims Parsons was replaced as a party leader during an emergency convention, and that new leader N. Shane Cutler has authority to designate Cobb.

Ralph Nader, the Green Party presidential nominee four years ago, is on the Utah ballot as an independent.