[Iowa-dx] GP RELEASE Greens gain ballot access in 31 states, up from 17 in Jan.

Tue, 5 Sep 2006 10:53:39 -0500

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, September 5, 2006

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805,
starlene@greens.org

Greens win ballot access fights in Arkansas,
Illinois, Nebraska, New York

? Greens achieve ballot access in 31 states -- up
from 17 states in January

? 'Grossly unfair' ballot access rules hinder
Greens in Pennsylvania

? Many Green candidates now face obstruction from
debates in California, Ohio, Wisconsin, and other
states

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party candidates have
overcome numerous obstacles to have their names
placed on the ballot in several states, including
Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, and New York.  In
many races, Greens are now battling exclusion
from candidates' debates.

In Pennsylvania, Greens have faced the most
dramatic obstruction, as a result of patently
unfair ballot access rules (2,000 petition
signatures required for Democrats and
Republicans; 67,000 for other parties) and a
lawsuit filed by Democrats seeking to disqualify
many of the 95,000 signatures submitted by
Marakay Rogers (running for Governor
<http://www.geocities.com/mjr91/RogersforAG.html>),
Christina Valente (for Lieutenant Governor
<http://www.christina-green.org>), and Carl
Romanelli (for U.S. Senate
<http://www.romanelli2006.com>).  Because
defending their petitions would cost tens of
thousands of dollars and the candidates risk
being bankrupted by a judgement for the
challengers' attorneys' fees and costs, Ms.
Rogers and Ms. Valente have withdrawn their
petitions; Mr. Romanelli has vowed to fight the
challenge and is now protesting his exclusion
from a September 3 senatorial candidates' debate
to be broadcast on MSNBC's 'Meet the Press.'

"Pennsylvania's grossly unfair ballot access
laws, passed by Democrats and Republicans, should
be considered a conspiracy against voters,
limiting their choices on the ballot.  Equally
outrageous are the tactics that Pennsylvania
Democrats are using to bar Greens, through legal
and financial intimidation -- proving that
Democratic politicians are just as willing as
Republicans to rig the ballot box," said Marakay
Rogers.

The Green Party currently has 31 state ballot
lines (including the District of Columbia).  In
January, 2006, the Green Party had 17 state
ballot lines.

Arkansas

Secretary of State Charlie Daniels certified the
Green Party as a recognized political party in
Arkansas after an August 23, 2006 ruling by the
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of
Arkansas ordered the inclusion of Greens.
Arkansas Greens have nominated six candidates for
statewide races, including Jim Lendall, former
Democratic State Representative, for Governor.
The nominees must file their certificates of
nomination with the Secretary of State's office
by September 8 to appear on the November ballot.
http://www.jimlendall2006.com
http://www.arkgreens.org

California

Gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo is seeking
inclusion despite the League of Women Voters
decision to restrict the debates to candidates
who receive over 10% in the polls.  When Mr.
Camejo participated in a televised debate in the
2003 election, he was widely perceived as the
winner, according to informal polls of media
outlets and viewers.  The Camejo campaign has
filed a complaint with the Fair Political
Practices Commission.
http://www.votecamejo.com
http://www.cagreens.org

Illinois

The Illinois State Board of Elections ruled
unanimously on August 31 to place the Green Party
state slate in the November general election,
after a vigorous attempt by Illinois Democrats to
have Green candidates' ballot petitions
invalidated in order to keep them off the state
ballot.  Illinois Green candidates Rich Whitney,
running for Governor, and Julie Samuels, for
Lieutenant Governor, were certified on September
1.

Greens were required to to collect 25,000
signatures in just 90 days -- five times the
number of signatures that Democratic and
Republican candidates had to collect -- to
qualify for the ballot.  Greens collected over
39,000.  Greens were then forced to hire a ballot
defense coordinator and pay for legal services to
defend their petitions after Illinois Democrats
used their staffing and monetary advantage to
challenge the petitions before the State Board.
Greens are now attempting to persuade the
Illinois Radio Network to reverse its decision
excluding Mr. Whitney from its October 2 debate.
http://www.whitneyforgov.org
http://www.ilgp.org

Nebraska

The Nebraska Green Party was initially denied
ballot access for its statewide candidates by the
Secretary of State.  After several weeks of delay
involving intense discussions with Greens, the
ACLU and legislators, Greens were granted ballot
access for statewide constitutional offices, with
Green candidates Steve Larrick for State Auditor
and Doug Paterson for Secretary of State on the
ballot on November 7.
http://www.nebraskagreens.org

New York

On August 22, Malachy McCourt, candidate for
Governor, and other New York Green candidates
delivered petitions to the Board of Elections in
Albany to place them on the November 7 ballot.
The campaigns submitted 30,000 signatures, double
the required 15,000 needed -- demonstrating that
voters want a choice when they go to the polls, a
choice that includes candidates who support
peace, abolition of the death penalty, bringing
home the New York National Guard, and health care
for all.  The members of the Green Party's New
York Peace Slate include Mr. McCourt for
Governor; Alison Duncan for Lt. Governor; Howie
Hawkins for U.S. Senate; Attorney General
candidate Rachel Treichler; and State Comptroller
candidate Julia Willebrand.

The party must achieve 50,000 votes in the
Governor's race to regain automatic ballot
status.  New York Greens fell slightly short of
the 50,000 votes for Governor in 2002 to maintain
ballot status, although Attorney General
candidate Mary Jo Long exceeded the 50,000.  New
York Green ballot-qualified candidates are
currently negotiating with the League of Women
Voters of New York for inclusion in debates for
the offices of U.S. Senator from New York,
Governor,and Attorney General.
http://www.malachyforgovernor.com
http://www.alisonduncan.org
http://www.hawkinsforsenate.org
http://www.voterachel.org
http://www.juliaforcomptroller.org
http://www.gpnys.org

Ohio

Green gubernatorial candidate Bob Fitrakis has
joined a Libertarian and a write-in to fight
their exclusion from four debates, from which the
Democrats and Republicans are barring all other
candidates.  Mr. Fitrakis and the other two
candidates will be in Youngstown on September 5
for the first of the debates, and are also
planning to hold their own debates in Toledo,
Dayton, and Akron (which Democrats and
Republicans have omitted from the debate
schedule).  Mr. Fitrakis will invite the
Democrats and Republicans to attend the 'third
party' debates, which will be co-sponsored by
Common Cause.
http://www.bobforohio.com
http://www.ohiogreens.org

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Greens are protesting a decision by the
We the People consortium (Wisconsin State
Journal, WISC-TV, Wisconsin Public Radio,
Wisconsin Public Television, Wood Communications,
WisPolitics.com, along with corporate and
interest group sponsors) to bar third party
candidates, including gubernatorial candidate
Nelson Eisman, from candidates' debates according
to arbitrary poll-based and fundraising criteria.
  The League of Women Voters (which sponsored
debates in years past), the Wisconsin Democracy
Campaign and Common Cause in Wisconsin have
joined Greens in the call for Mr. Eisman's
inclusion.
http://www.voteEisman.org
http://www.wisconsingreenparty.org

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Green campaign listings, news, photos, and web
sites http://www.gp.org/2006elections
Database of 2006 Green candidates
http://www.greens.org/elections
Video clips of Green candidates
http://www.gp.org/2006elections/media.shtml
Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml

~ END ~