{news} For your information- GPUS Ballot Access Report - April 7, 2007

[Green Party-CT]

Phil Huckelberry <phil.huckelberry at gmail.com> wrote:  Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 23:23:15 -0500
To: natlcomvotes at green.gpus.org
From: Phil Huckelberry <phil.huckelberry at gmail.com>
Subject: [usgp-nc] GPUS Ballot Access Report - April 7, 2007

It has taken a while to get this put together, but with the information 
from the State Party Questionnaires (*) and with input from Richard Winger 
of Ballot Access News, we can finally send out an updated Ballot Access Report.

(*) - 12 states still have not submitted their State Party 
Questionnaire: Alaska, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, 
Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Tennessee.

What I would like to call special attention to is that the petitioning 
window for 2008 ballot lines is already open in some states, Arizona being 
the most notable. If we as a party do not get our collective acts together 
to support drives already underway, or which begin later in 2007, then when 
2008 rolls around, our workload is going to be tremendous and our 
presidential nominee is unlikely to make it onto the ballot in more than 40 
states. If we DO get our acts together and make a serious, concerted 
effort to knock out or substantially complete Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, 
Indiana, Kansas, and perhaps other states THIS YEAR, then 2008 will be a 
much greater success all along. We do NOT want to be stuck doing the bulk 
of the petitioning in Georgia and Indiana when it comes time to do 
Texas. We won't be able to handle it.

The bottom line when it comes to petitioning is that state parties really 
need two things: your dime or your time. If finances are going to 
continue to plague us through 2007, then we've got to figure out some way 
to send some of these state parties some *people*.

Phil Huckelberry
Illinois Green Party
Co-Chair, Ballot Access Committee


GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
BALLOT ACCESS REPORT
Prepared by the GPUS Ballot Access Committee
April 7, 2007

SUMMARY

Note: District of Columbia is referred to as a state throughout, so for 
the purposes of this report, there are 51 states. In addition, information 
is included about Guam and Puerto Rico.

At the beginning of 2004 we had ballot access in 23 states. We lost ballot 
access in seven states in 2004: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, 
Montana, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Utah.

As of February 2005 we had ballot access in 15 states. These 
are: California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, 
Hawai'i, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oregon, South 
Carolina, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Alaska was in court.

As of February 2007 we have ballot access in 19 states. These 
are: California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, 
Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, 
Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

Because of differing ballot laws from state to state, "having ballot 
access" in a state may not always mean the same thing. In general, 
throughout this report, "having ballot access" refers to having a 
guaranteed ballot line for President. Usually in a state where we have a 
guaranteed presidential ballot line, we have a guaranteed ballot line for 
all partisan offices throughout the state, but this is not always the case.

Although the emphasis is on state-level ballot access, because some states 
have mechanisms for ballot access at smaller jurisdictional levels, 
relevant information is included for those states. This report presumes 
that in evaluating ballot access goals at the national level that 
presidential lines will not be the only consideration, and that it is 
possible that there might be coordination directly between local groups and 
the national party.

This report will not at this time make formal recommendations for 
prioritization of petitioning or other initiatives, but it should be 
stressed that several states could literally begin petitioning today if 
they had paperwork in order, while other states are unable to petition at 
all until well into 2008. In many respects, this report should be read as 
a guide to what is currently happening, not as a report of what has 
happened or what could happen.

Much of the information included in this report comes from Richard Winger 
and Ballot Access News.

All information in this report is subject to change and revision.

ALABAMA

Contact(s): Matthew Hellinger
GP Ballot Access? No

The signature requirement for minor parties and non-presidential statewide 
independents is 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, which is 37,513 for 
2008. The current requirement for an independent presidential line in 
Alabama is 5,000 signatures.

There is a lawsuit active in Alabama currently in the 11th Circuit 
pertaining to signature requirements and dates and Richard Winger is 
hopeful that the suit will go well.

Party petitions are due June 3, 2008. Independent petitions are due 
September 8, 2008.

ALASKA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No

In 2006, a Green Party lawsuit regarding the state's definition of "party" 
lost in the Alaska Supreme Court, but then the legislature made the 
definition worse, and that suit is still in lower court. The original suit 
wanted the test for continuing party status to be 3% of any statewide 
office instead of just the highest office. However, in 2006, the Green 
Party did not win 3% in any statewide race, so even a victory in the 
current lawsuit would not restore ballot access.

Regaining party access requires registering 7,124 members, but GPAK is only 
at about half that. The other method is a candidate petition, which would 
require 3,128 signatures, and which is due August 6, 2008.

ARIZONA

Contact(s): Claudia Ellquist (Pima County), Richard Scott (Maricopa County)
GP Ballot Access? No

Petitioning is pegged to a percentage of the vote. The party needs 20,449 
signatures. The window is open and the deadline is very early, March 13, 
2008. The independent method actually requires slightly more 
signatures. Because of the early deadline, Arizona should be considered 
our #1 priority at this time.

After becoming ballot-qualified, a party can retain ballot status through 
partisan registration if within one year it reaches 2/3 of 1%. Ballot 
access was achieved in 2000 but little to no attempt was made to 
aggressively pursue registrations to maintain that access. Pima County 
(Tucson) has been more active than Maricopa County (Phoenix) in working on 
ballot access.

ARKANSAS

Contact(s): Robby Matthews 
GP Ballot Access? No

1,000 signatures are needed for the presidential ballot line. 10,000 
signatures are needed for statewide ballot access. Petitioning is already 
open in Arkansas, with an August 4, 2008 deadline; but proposed new 
legislation would shrink the petitioning window.

CALIFORNIA 

Contact(s): Larry Cafiero
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Ballot access in California is secured through voter registration numbers 
and success in statewide elections. A state-sponsored primary will be 
held, likely on February 5, 2008.

COLORADO

Contact(s): Brian Herzfeld, Bruce Meyer
GP Ballot Access? Yes

The ballot line is secured by voter registration, with 1,000 members needed 
and about 5,000 Greens currently registered.

CONNECTICUT

Contact(s): Mike DeRosa 
GP Ballot Access? No

7,500 signatures are required for a statewide candidate, including 
President. There is no process for full-party status. According to 
Richard Winger, a party can only qualify for ballot access for individual 
offices. Deadline is August 6, 2008, petitioning window does not open 
until 2008. The threshold to hold access is 1% of the vote.

DELAWARE

Contact(s): None
GP Ballot Access? Yes

The ballot line is held through registration numbers.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Contact(s): Joyce Robinson-Paul 
GP Ballot Access? Yes

The ballot line was secured by gaining enough votes in an at-large D.C. 
city office race.

FLORIDA

Contact(s): GPFL Secretary
GP Ballot Access? Yes

The party must simply be organized as part of a national party holding a 
national convention in order to have a ballot line in Florida.

GEORGIA

Contact(s): Nan Garrett
GP Ballot Access? No

44,089 signatures are required for full party access with a deadline of 
July 8, 2008. The petitioning window opens in April 2007. Georgia should 
be one of our highest priorities in 2007.

It is estimated that a comprehensive ballot drive might cost $80,000, but 
once ballot access was achieved, it is anticipated that it could be held by 
achieving a certain percentage in down-ballot state-level races (1% of all 
registered voters.) There is significant interest from COFOE in this 
potential ballot drive because of the opportunity it would provide to file 
suit against the State of Georgia for other restrictive elements of their 
ballot law. On the whole, Georgia's ballot access laws are considered the 
worst in the country, and therefore the most liable to be found 
unconstitutional using an equal protection test.

GUAM

Contact(s): John Dansgraff 
GP Ballot Access? N/A
Note: Guam does not have an affiliated or recognized Green Party at this time.

HAWAI'I

Contact(s): Jim Brewer
GP Ballot Access? No

The statewide party requirement is 663 signatures (0.1% of registered 
voters). The deadline is April 19, 2008, and the window is open.

IDAHO

Contact(s): Robert McMinn 
GP Ballot Access? No

5,984 are needed for a statewide independent candidate in 2008; 11,968 
signatures for the party. The deadline is August 29, 2008. The window 
opens on August 29, 2007.

The Idaho Election Code is available at 
http://www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/elec_law_06.pdf.

ILLINOIS

Contact(s): Phil Huckelberry 

GP Ballot Access? Yes

Ballot access was secured for 2008 and 2010 by virtue of securing 5% of the 
vote for Governor in 2006. A state-sponsored primary will be held, likely 
on February 5, 2008.

INDIANA

Contact(s): Bill Stant 
GP Ballot Access? No

Indiana access is pegged to 2% of the number of votes cast in the last 
election for Indiana Secretary of State. Richard Winger provides an 
estimate number of 32,742. The window is already open, and the deadline is 
June 23, 2008. Indiana should be a high priority for 2007, and will need 
significant outside help.

IOWA

Contact(s): Holly Hart 
GP Ballot Access? No

1,500 signatures needed for a single statewide candidate; there is no 
petitioning mechanism for full statewide ballot access. The signatures 
must come from at least 10 different counties. Access is maintained by 
receiving 2% in either the gubernatorial or presidential race. The window 
is already open, with a deadline of August 15, 2008.

KANSAS

Contact(s): None
GP Ballot Access? No

5,000 signatures are needed for an independent candidate for 
President. For a party line, the number is pegged to a percentage; for 
2008, this number will be 16,994 signatures. Under Kansas law the 
signatures can be collected in any 180 day window preceding an election, 
with an August 4, 2008 deadline.

Ballot line retention is fairly easy once secured, but the Kansas Green 
Party has twice unsuccessfully petitioned and does not appear to have much 
energy to try again. Significant outside help is needed; they need GPUS to 
take the lead (they could not even identify a contact person.) Because of 
the unusual "roving window" law in Kansas, it may be best to think of 
Kansas as a 2007 state, and therefore as having the earliest deadline; the 
beginning of April until the end of October might be a sensible petitioning 
window.

KENTUCKY

Contact(s): Mike Bascom 
GP Ballot Access? No
Note: There is no GPUS-affiliated state party in Kentucky.

5,000 signatures are required to secure a presidential line in 
Kentucky. The deadline is September 2, 2008. The window opens November 7, 
2007.

LOUISIANA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Ballot access is retained by having 1,000 registrants. The particular 
circumstances of Hurricane Katrina make Louisiana a state that should be 
monitored. Although the ballot line for 2008 seems to be secure, the 
likelihood is that enough registrants left Louisiana to pull us below 1,000.

MAINE

Contact(s): Ben Chipman 
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Ballot access is maintained by performance in the Governor's race.

MARYLAND

Contact(s): Patsy Allen, Tim Willard
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Maryland reacquired ballot access in late 2006 by collecting 10,000 signatures.

MASSACHUSETTS

Contact(s): candidates at green-rainbow.org
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Massachusetts regained ballot access by receiving 3% in a statewide race in 
2006.

MICHIGAN

Contact(s): John La Pietra 
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Ballot access in Michigan can be maintained by achieving a certain 
percentage of the vote in any state-level race, including University of 
Michigan Regent, which is how they have held ballot access since 2000.

MINNESOTA

Contact(s): Danene Provencher 

GP Ballot Access? No

110,150 signatures are required for full state-wide access in 2008, but 
only 2,000 signatures are required for a single statewide office, so the 
latter approach would be used. 5% for President would retain ballot access 
for 2010.

MISSISSIPPI

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? Yes

MISSOURI

Contact(s): Dee Berry 
GP Ballot Access? No

The affiliated state party in Missouri is the Progressive Party of Missouri 
which may create some difficulty in petitioning. A fringe group in St. 
Louis holds the Green Party name there. The signature requirement is a 
flat 10,000 with a July 29, 2008 deadline. The window is already open.

MONTANA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No

5,000 signatures are required to secure access in Montana. The window is 
open, and the deadline is July 30, 2008. This would be a good place to 
target in 2007. The party has just become a GPUS affiliate.

NEBRASKA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Ballot access in Nebraska is secured by congressional district, not on a 
statewide basis. There are three congressional districts, and NEGP is 
qualified in all three.

NEVADA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Ballot access was secured by receiving 1% of the vote for Governor in 2006.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No
Note: There is no GPUS-affiliated state party in New Hampshire.

12,106 signatures are required for full party access; 3,000 signatures for 
a single statewide candidate. The window is open, with an August 6, 2008 
deadline. The lack of a state party makes starting early difficult, but 
help should be available from Maine.

NEW JERSEY

Contact(s): George DeCarlo <>
GP Ballot Access? No

There is no petitioning mechanism for securing statewide ballot access but 
only 800 signatures are required for a statewide candidate in 2008. The 
deadline is July 28, 2008 and the window is open.

The method for establishing statewide ballot access requires pulling 10% of 
all votes for all statewide Assembly positions. Assembly seats in New 
Jersey are elected in odd years.

NEW MEXICO

Contact(s): David C. Thompson 
GP Ballot Access? Yes

The ballot line was originally secured by petition and is maintained by 
vote totals.

NEW YORK

Contact(s): Gloria Mattera 
GP Ballot Access? No

15,000 signatures are required to secure the presidential line in New 
York. The deadline is August 19, 2008, and the window is very short.

NORTH CAROLINA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No

North Carolina has the second-worst presidential ballot line restrictions 
in the country. 69,734 signatures are required, and it even takes 500 
signatures to file as a write-in. The deadline is June 12, 2008, and the 
window is open; North Carolina is the 11th largest state so the number is 
possible, but work would need to begin right away.

There is a joint Libertarian-Green lawsuit active against the party 
requirement in North Carolina.

NORTH DAKOTA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No
Note: There is not a GPUS-affiliated state party in North Dakota.

7,000 signatures are required for statewide ballot access; 4,000 signatures 
for a single statewide candidate. The window is open; the candidate 
deadline is September 5, 2008, and the party deadline is April 11, 2008.

OHIO

Contact(s): Paul Dumouchelle 

GP Ballot Access? No

An independent presidential line requires 5,000 signatures. A law 
governing statewide access has been ruled unconstitutional, and the state 
legislature has not acted to deal with this, so the party access method is 
essentially non-existent in Ohio. The independent line has an August 21, 
2008 deadline, and the window is currently open.

OKLAHOMA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No

Oklahoma has the worst presidential ballot line restrictions in the 
country, by far. 46,324 signatures for a party line; 43,913 for an 
independent statewide candidate. Deadline is July 15, 2008 and the window 
is open. Oklahoma is only the 28th largest state, so this would be a 
monumental undertaking, and would need to begin immediately.

The Libertarians have a lawsuit against the signature requirement which the 
Oklahoma Supreme Court has not yet decided to hear.

OREGON

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? Yes

No information has been provided by PGPO.

PENNSYLVANIA

Contact(s): Bob Small 
GP Ballot Access? No

There is no statewide party line mechanism. Individual statewide 
candidates will need an estimated 27,000 signatures in 2008; the number may 
be as high as 47,000 depending upon the results of judicial elections to be 
held in 2007. The deadline is August 1, 2008; the window is not yet open.

GPPA and other parties have taken the Commonwealth to court and the case is 
still pending. A lot of work is being done via the Pennsylvania Ballot 
Access Coalition - www.paballotaccess.org.

Pennsylvania courts have ruled that candidates whose petitions are found to 
be short of the number of signatures required must repay costs to the 
people who got them thrown off the ballot. As a result there may be an 
unwillingness on the part of GPPA to petition in 2008 without some sort of 
assurance of support from GPUS.

PUERTO RICO

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? N/A
Note: There is no GPUS-affiliated Green Party operating in Puerto Rico.

RHODE ISLAND

Contact(s): Greg Gerritt 
GP Ballot Access? No

The signature threshold and vote test are both 5% in Rhode Island; these 
are the highest requirements in the New England states. The party needs 
18,557 signatures for a statewide line. A single statewide candidate needs 
1,000. The candidate deadline is September 5, 2008, with the window 
opening on July 1, 2008. The party window closes on May 30, 2008.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Contact(s): Gregg Jocoy <>
GP Ballot Access? Yes

South Carolina maintains the line by participating in an election in the 
preceding election year.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No
Note: There is not a GPUS-affiliated state party in South Dakota.

8,389 signatures are required for statewide access; 3,356 for a single 
state-level candidate. The deadline is August 5, 2008; the window is 
open. Richard Winger reports that South Dakota will not allow a "candidate 
swap", so petitioning for just the presidential line would not be able to 
happen until after the convention.

TENNESSEE

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No

Statewide ballot access requires 45,254 signatures, but an independent 
ballot line requires only 25 signatures!

Bills are pending in the legislature to lower the party petition to 2,500 
signatures and to allow new parties to nominate by convention. Richard 
Winger is hopeful that these bills will pass because of a controlling 
precedent in the 6th Circuit from the recent victory over Ohio law.

TEXAS

Contact(s): sec-contact at txgreens.org
GP Ballot Access? No

43,991 signatures, from registered voters who do not vote in the Republican 
or Democratic primaries, are necessary for ballot access in Texas, in a 
75-day window. This is one of the hardest states in the country to secure 
a ballot line in because of the restrictions. There is not a lower 
threshold for individual candidates. The deadline is May 27, 
2008. Legislation may be taken up to deal with the "primary screen-out" 
issue which bars people who voted in the primary from signing such petitions.

UTAH

Contact(s): Tom King 
GP Ballot Access? No

The state ballot line requires 2,000 signatures with a February, 2008 
deadline; a single statewide candidate needs 1,000 with a September 2, 2008 
deadline. The party mechanism window is open.

VERMONT

Contact(s): Jim Hogue <>
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Ballot access in Vermont is secured by organizing town meetings which will 
occur in October 2007.

VIRGINIA

Contact(s): Audrey Clement, Tom Yager
GP Ballot Access? No

There is no statewide party mechanism. 10,000 signatures are required for 
individual state-level candidates, with at least 400 signatures from each 
of Virginia's 11 congressional districts. The deadline is August 22, 2008; 
the window does not open until 2008.

WASHINGTON

Contact(s): wagreens at gmail.com
GP Ballot Access? No

There is no statewide party mechanism. 1,000 signatures are required for 
individual state-level candidates. The deadline is July 26, 2008; the 
window does not open until 2008. There are additional bizarre requirements 
under Washington law involving "nominating conventions" but this has not 
presented a challenge in past years.

WEST VIRGINIA

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No
Note: There is no GPUS-affiliated state party in West Virginia.

Gubernatorial elections are in presidential years; a gubernatorial 
candidate would have to be fielded in 2008 with 15,118 signatures 
required. Retention is 1% of the vote. The threshold for other offices is 
2%. The deadline is August 1, 2008 and the window is open.

A merger with the ballot-qualified Mountain Party of West Virginia had been 
in the works but has apparently fallen through.

WISCONSIN

Contact(s): Ron Hardy <>, Ruth Weill <>
GP Ballot Access? Yes

Wisconsin maintains the ballot line with 1% of the vote in any statewide 
race in a gubernatorial year.

WYOMING

Contact(s):
GP Ballot Access? No

3,868 signatures are required for a party line or for an independent 
candidate. The independent deadline is August 25, 2008; the party deadline 
is June 2, 2008; and the window for both opens May 1, 2007.


APPENDICES

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    Tim McKee cell (860) 778-1304 or (860) 643-2282
   National Committee Member of the Green Party(Connecticut)





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