Green Party of Pennsylvania
http://www.gpofpa.org
Monday, January 16, 2006
Released Friday, January 13, 2006
CONTACT:
Marakay Rogers 717-578-2065 cell
Tuesday, January 10th, the Green Party of Pennsylvania filed a suit against the Commonwealth in the Middle District federal
court in Harrisburg. The Green Party is seeking relief from a burdensome law that requires them to collect over 67,000
signatures for their statewide candidates. The Constitution Party of Pennsylvania is also a plaintiff in the suit.
Under Pennsylvania law minor political parties must gather thirty-three times the number of signatures as Republicans and
Democrats to get their candidates on the statewide ballot in 2006. Given the gross inequity in the number of signatures, the
Greens feel that Pennsylvania is violating the 1st and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution including the Equal
Protection Clause.
"Pennsylvania has one of the most oppressive ballot access laws in the country," says Marakay J. Rogers, Green
candidate for Governor and Plaintiff in the suit. "Not only does it grossly hamper our efforts to get candidates on the ballot,
but it can eliminate choices for the voters and stifle fresh ideas from entering into the political arena."
The suit suggests using a ballot access system similar to Delaware's law where a party's candidates can appear on the
ballot simply by attaining .05% of the overall state voter registration. Another remedy suggested in the lawsuit states that
minor political parties simply collect the same amount of signatures as their Republican and Democrat counterparts which is
2,000 for statewide candidates.
"Even if you are not a Green," says Steve Baker, Co-chair of the York County Party, "we all should be outraged that the
State Legislature is attempting to suppress fair and democratic competition."
Along with the lawsuit, Greens and other minor parties have formed a PA Ballot Access Coalition which has been meeting
with the PA House State Government Committee and the Governor's Election Reform Task Force to petition for relief from
current ballot requirements.
Related links:
http://www.gpofpa.org
http://www.paballotaccess.org/
http://www.dos.state.pa.us/election_reform/
