INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (WOWO): The dispute over Congressman Todd Young’s petition signatures could lead to a change in Indiana’s ballot access laws.

Since at least 1986, candidates for U.S. Senate, governor, or president must collect 500 signatures in each of Indiana’s nine congressional districts. Senate President Pro Tem David Long says the possibility of a leading candidate for U-S Senate being kicked off the ballot makes it a “reasonable assumption” that legislators will discuss whether that rule is outdated.

Long says legislators won’t make any retroactive changes. It’ll be up to the Indiana Election Commission to decide whether Young has enough signatures.

House Minority Leader Scott Pelath says the signature requirement is “very reasonable.” He says if legislators change it, the new rule needs to still be strict enough to exclude frivolous candidates.

The challenge to Young’s Senate petitions isn’t the first time the signature requirements have caused trouble. Four years ago, presidential candidate Rick Santorum had to persuade the commission that several of his signatures had been incorrectly thrown out. And four people were convicted of forging signatures to ensure Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton didn’t miss the ballot.

His opponent, congressman Marlin Stutzman released a statement saying, “If Todd has more than 500 signatures he should be on the ballot, but if reliable Indiana media sources are correct and he has failed to meet the minimum number of signatures required to be a candidate for the United States Senate, then the rule of law must be followed.”