in december 2008, steve ankeny and bill kruse filed a "petition for extraordinary writ of prohibition" against the governor of indiana to block "any popular votes for barack obama and joe biden for the appointment as chief electors [sic]." a hearing was held, and on march 16, 2009, the governor's motion to dismiss was granted. the plaintiffs appealed the ruling to the indiana court of appeals, which upheld it on november 12, 2009.