The state Supreme Court is asking the secretary of state's office to try to resolve a dispute over whether an Albuquerque man should be on the general election ballot as the Independent American Party's U.S. Senate candidate.
The secretary of state's office determined that Jon Ross Barrie didn't submit enough voter signatures in nominating petitions to become a candidate, but Barrie contends that elections officials wrongly invalidated some signatures.
The court on Wednesday said a district court must hold a hearing on the dispute unless Barrie and the secretary of state can resolve it. Both sides said after the court's ruling that they would try to meet and review disputed signatures.
Democrat Martin Heinrich and Republican Heather Wilson are running for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Jeff Bingaman.