The pandemic may have robbed Donald Trump of a growing economy. It may have trapped Joe Biden in his basement. But it may yet do something even worse to the Libertarian and Green party nominees: keep them off the ballot in many of this year’s key states. In 2016, the Libertarian Party was on the general election ballot in all 50 states; this year, it has secured ballot access in just 35. Similarly, the Green Party—which in 2016 had its best election ever by making the ballot in 44 states, with another three states granting the party’s candidate official write-in status—has qualified for the November ballot in only 22 states. Continue reading

State Sen. Scott Jensen, center, joined Independence Party Chair Phillip Fuehrer, far left; Minnesota Green Party Chair Trahern Crews, center left; and Libertarian Party Chair Chris Holbrook, center right; at a February press conference at the State Capitol to promote minor party ballot access. The most fertile places for Minnesota's minor political parties to gather signatures to get their candidates on the ballot are lakes and festivals. But COVID-19 has made both off-limits for party petitioners — and going door-to-door isn't a viable alternative. Continue reading

PITTSBURGH – Much of politics is based on personal interactions, but in the midst of a global pandemic, such interactions can be potentially deadly. The COVID-19 outbreak has left third parties in Pennsylvania out in the cold, concerned that they may not be able to get on the ballot for key races in November due to an inability to collect signatures. "People aren't willing to take a pen, or a piece of paper" from a petitioner, national Libertarian Party executive director Daniel Fishman said. Additionally, Gov. Tom Wolf's stay-at-home orders — extended to all 67 of Pennsylvania's counties on Wednesday — have blocked petitioners from attending now-canceled public events or going door-to-door. Continue reading

Photo Credit: Rich Whitney, state Green Party co-chair, greets people on a sidewalk in Chicago in 2010 when he was a candidate for governor.(Jos M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Tuesday marked the first day for independent and third-party contenders to start seeking voter petition signatures to make the November ballot, but their already difficult task has been made even tougher due to restrictions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Even without any public health concerns, independent and third-party candidates had a tougher job to get on the ballot since they are required to get several times the signatures Republicans and Democrats need to qualify for their primary ballots. Continue reading

Cheri Honkala on battling back in frontline communities Cheri Honkala has been organizing in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, one of the US’s most devastated, post-industrial communities, for over 30 years. As of the 2010 census, Kensington was 38.9 percent Hispanic of any race, 37.4 percent non-Hispanic white, 14.8 percent non-Hispanic Black, 6.2 percent Asian, and 2.7 percent all other. And it’s beginning to be threatened by gentrification. Continue reading

They must collect thousands of signatures for the petitions in Minnesota, a dangerous task amid the current pandemic. An executive order is needed. On March 14, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suspended the signature-gathering process for candidates for political office in his state to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, while at the same time reducing the number of signatures that will be required for each office this year by approximately 70%. Continue reading

PHILADELPHIA – Meeting at Shissler Recreation Center in Fishtown, Philadelphia, on February 25, the membership of the Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP) elected a new City Committee for 2020. The new leadership is racially and sexually diverse, and includes people from a variety of neighborhoods. The new Green Party Chair Belinda Davis is from Chestnut Hill. Party Treasurer Hillary Kane is from Cedar Park. Green Party Membership Secretary Charles Sherrouse is from Oxford Circle East. Two of the three City Committee members at large are from Tacony, while the third is from Torresdale. Continue reading

WASHINGTON D.C. – Another former presidential candidate criticized the Democratic Party for its handling of the presidential primary process. Jill Stein, the Green Party's presidential nominee in 2012 and 2016, assailed Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez for his nominations to the standing committees at this year's convention, which also generated outrage from Sen. Bernie Sanders's campaign. Continue reading