FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: MN Green Party Darnella Wade

Darnella@MNgreens.org

February 04, 2019

The Minnesota Green Party is partnering up in the fight to end political oppression!

In a state with some of the worst disparities, we need ballot access that allows for the participation of all independent political voices. We can’t be the change we want to see if we must compromise by running with parties that don't share our values. The strength of the two-party system isn’t earned - it's only due to the many laws which have been written over time to create barriers to participation, eliminate opportunities to challenge established power, and built up a system that has primarily served to provide a disproportionate political voice for monied interests at the expense of the people forced to live under the unequal and unjust laws it imposes.

The Ballot Access Inclusiveness Bill, which has been proposed for years, was officially authored, sponsored, and filed on January 30 in the Senate by Sen. Jensen (R-47) and on February 1 in the House by Rep. Elkins (D-49B)!

This bill would do the following:

Reduce the threshold for major party status from 5% currently to 1% or 2%

Expand the minor party ballot access petition window from 2 weeks to 2 months

Modernize the petition used by minor party candidates to collect signatures

How You Can Help

Be there with us! A press conference to announce the Ballot Access Inclusiveness Bill will take place at the State Capital this Thursday, February 7 from 12:30 - 1:00 PM in Conference Room B971. Let's pack the room with supporters!

We also need you to call or email your State Representative and State Senator to tell them this bill deserves a committee hearing and to be voted on by the full bodies of each legislative branch. To find your representatives, look them up at https://www.gis.leg/iMaps/districts/.

Numbers speak volumes. Tell a friend and any press contacts you have. It's time to level the playing field. You can be part of it.

###