2016 was a banner year for the Green Party. The ballot access efforts of the presidential campaign of Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka put the Green Party in the record books because we got on the ballot in 45 states, and as write-ins on 3 more. That's the most ballot lines the Green Party has ever had!

Not only did we go into November with our highest number of state ballot lines, we also emerged from the election with our highest post-election number of state ballot lines. That is right, we are currently on the ballot in 22 states.

However, that leaves 28 more states where the Green Party candidates may NOT have a chance to be on the ballot. If we don't succeed, the voters in those 28 states won't have a choice to vote Green!

And that's why we're writing today.

We have 28 petition drives nationwide coming up, and it's URGENT that we get started petitioning in those states. We can't wait until the last minute, we have to get organized now and start our petition drives.

If we don't accelerate petitioning now it could cost twice as much OR worse, we might not make it in some states.

Will you donate today to help us start petitioning in 28 states and get ballot lines for Green?

The good news is that the Green Party of Utah is just wrapping up its successful petition drive. With support from the national party and supporters like you, Green volunteers have spent the summer at festivals, rallies and other events and turned in 2700 signatures! Currently, we're awaiting word that the Green Party of Utah will be ballot-qualified for 2018.

Above is Kimberly Bain, one of our petitioners working hard. She's been working hard and braving the summer heat to get Greens on the ballot.

Will you contribute at least $60 today to help sponsor a petitioner like her and cover their time for 3 hours?

Petitioners are fighting to help us give voters a choice today, and we want to pay them all a living wage.

And while there is some good news in Utah, in North Carolina it's a much different story.

North Carolina is going to be especially difficult because it has one of the HIGHEST signature requirements to get Green candidates on the ballot - 94,000 verified, legitimate signatures have to be turned in...higher than any other state in the union.

Thankfully we are preparing ahead of time and collecting signatures NOW. With over 3,000 signatures already collected - the Greens there are ready to do whatever it takes to get the Green Party on the ballot in North Carolina.

We need as many of our supporters as possible to give today. We are desperately hiring petitioners as fast as we can to gather the 94,000 signatures we need - and without your help we might not make it.

Will you join us to make sure that our Ballot Access team has the money it needs to pay the petitioners to collect signatures over the next few months and make sure Greens are on the ballot in North Carolina and the other states?

Without an independent opposition party on the ballot, America will only see more of the same - a Republican Party out of touch with reality, and Democrats unwilling to step out of their comfort zones to demand an end to racism and fascism.

The Green Party is the only political party that stands unequivocally for peace, justice, ecology, and democracy. Our candidates, from local to national, are out in front demanding a $15 wage, an end to militarism at home and overseas, a new economy based on green collar jobs, and fair and verifiable elections.

Will you help us get the Green Party on the ballot in all 50 states?

Your generous donation will help petitioners in North Carolina, Montana, Tennessee, and Nebraska, where petition drives are already underway, and seed new petition drives around the country!

Now more than ever, it's URGENT to get started petitioning and now more than ever it's in our hands! Please donate today so that all Americans have a chance to vote for candidates trying to restore sanity to our government and our society.

Jody Grage and Charles Sherrouse

Co-Chairs, Ballot Access Committee

Green Party of the United States

P.S. We will see if the voters of North Carolina and the other states will have a choice on the ballot in 2018 to be able to vote for social justice, ecological wisdom, grassroots democracy, and nonviolence. Will you contribute today to help give voters a CHOICE in North Carolina and the other states?