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RACINE — A local Racine group has succeeded in attracting former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein to lobby the City of Racine for the decriminalization of marijuana.

Stein, who received 1 percent of Wisconsin’s vote in the 2016 presidential election, is scheduled to speak at a fundraising event from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at Infusino’s Banquet Hall, 3201 Rapids Drive.

Stein raised $7.3 million to force recounts in three states after the November presidential election, including Wisconsin. The recount concluded in December with little change in the vote tally and judges ordered recounts halted in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Racine Green Party co-chair Fabi Maldonado said they contacted Stein because they thought she could help with a new effort to get a referendum vote on the issue. According to Maldonado, the local organization has 10 members and began in January with co-chair Guadalupe Davalos. They plan to focus on local policies and plan to run local and state candidates in the 2018 elections.

“It’s time for the people to govern themselves in Racine,” Maldonado said. “We will be the power in Racine County that elects candidates who represent the currently unrepresented diverse population of Racine.”

Reason for the quest