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Morrill for Governor
P.O. Box 7571
Reading, PA 19601
570- 372-0503
http://www.michaelmorrill.org
READING, PA - Michael Morrill, the Green Party
nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, won a Federal Court case today
that will continue to open up Pennsylvania's ballot access laws.
The Court ruled in Morrill v. Weaver: "We find that the
Commonwealth has articulated no compelling or sufficient reason for
requiring election petition 'affiants' to be residents of a specific
district, as opposed to residents of the Commonwealth at large…Our
decision to restrain enforcement [of the law] dictates that 'affiants'
to elections petitions need not be registered voters and may reside
anywhere in the Commonwealth." Currently, Pennsylvania law requires
any person who collects signatures from registered voters to place a
candidate on the ballot to be a registered voter in the district where
that candidate is running. Since the Green Party nominates its
candidates using slate nomination papers that can include multiple
candidates, this requirement makes the party's ballot access efforts
significantly more complex than they would be otherwise.
The ruling will allow any Pennsylvania resident to circulate petitions
anywhere in the state.
"We are pleased that the courts have recognized the right of
residents to participate in the democratic process anywhere in the
state," said Morrill. "It is unfortunate that we had to go to
court, but since our elected officials were unresponsive, we were left
with no options. The Green Party will continue to chip away at
undemocratic election laws through citizen action, and when necessary,
through legal action, until we have an open democracy that encourages
citizen participation."
Other plaintiffs included Ben Price, the Green nominee for U.S.
Representative in District 19; Kurt Shotko, who is seeking the Green
nomination for U.S. Representative in District 10; Guy Anthony, the
Green nominee for State Representative in District 144; and Eric Prindle,
field director for the Morrill campaign.
For more information, or for a copy of the ruling, please contact:
Elizabeth Daniel, Associate Counsel
Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
212-998-6281
Eric Prindle, Field Director
Morrill for Governor
570-372-0503
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