Maine's Secretary of State's office denied a hearing on Friday to a third party candidate who failed to get the requisite number of signatures to qualify for a spot on the ballot in the fall.

Laurie Dobson of Kennebunk, who wanted to run for U.S. Senate as a pro-impeachment, anti-war candidate, failed to get 4,000 valid signatures. Without a hearing, she said she's going to court and plans to file a lawsuit in Maine Superior Court to argue that the state is not in compliance with the Help America Vote Act.

Meanwhile, Herbert Hoffman of Ogunquit, another independent candidate vying for a spot on the Senate ballot, will have his hearing on Monday before the Secretary of State's office to decide whether he has enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

The Maine Democratic Party has contested Hoffman's petitions, alleging duplicative signatures, invalid addresses and a slew of other complaints.

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