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Green Party finding way onto ballots in 50 states
May 04, 2020 12:45 pm
Jessica Barr is reporting for The Legislative Gazette the Green Party is now on enough state ballots nationwide to receive 305 electoral votes in the 2020 election, 35 more than the 270 needed to win. A ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois made it easier for minor parties that were on the ballot in 2016 and 2018 to be granted ballot access for those same offices. The decision gave the Green Party relief from ballot access petitioning requirements and put the party on the general election ballot for offices such as president and vice president and U.S. Senate. The ruling made it possible for minor party candidates to obtain only 10 percent of the original petition requirements, with an extended deadline. Howie Hawkins, a Green Party presidential candidate, is pushing for the party to be on all ballots across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Green Party will choose its presidential nominee at the 2020 Green National Convention in Detroit, scheduled for July 9 through 12. At present, the Green Party is on the ballot in 25 states. Hawkins believes that when considering the Trump administration's actions and Biden's response to COVID-19, voters will turn to the Green and Libertarian Parties as an alternative. Read the full story in The Legislative Gazette.