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Candidates Sue for Ballot Access
Green Party Presidential Candidates Sue for Ballot Access in Wisconsin
_________________________
Sept. 14 2020 – Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling in Hawkins v. Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Hawkins/Walker 2020
More information:
Howie Hawkins
Andrea Mérida
Greens Denounce Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision
(Syracuse, NY - September 14, 2020) Green Party nominees for President and Vice President, Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker, rejected the decision handed down earlier today by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to deny placing them on the November 2020 ballot. The Green Party has been on the ballot in Wisconsin for every presidential election since 1996.Several years ago, the workers of Wisconsin occupied the state capitol building with shouts of “this is what democracy looks like.” Angela Walker mobilized her Milwaukee transit workers local union into that defense of workers' rights. Unfortunately, today, the state Supreme Court demonstrated something completely different from what most people consider to be democracy: a choice on their ballot.
“The court majority failed to recognize the partisan Wisconsin Election Commission's repeated unlawful actions, said Andrea Mérida, campaign manager.” Mérida continued, “now we have a dangerous precedent where a major party can effectively decide which minor parties can participate in elections, by conjuring up arbitrary requirements on the fly to remove its opposition. Regardless, the fact remains that we met all of the legal requirements for ballot access and followed the WEC's instructions to the letter with regards to Angela Walker's change of residence.”
"We were screwed. As the dissenting opinion explains, the actual facts and the law show that we are qualified for the ballot. Partisan hacks should not be running elections for their own parties. They set up the absentee ballot snafu. The decision is a travesty of justice," said Hawkins.
"Our campaign rejects the idea that we should be punished for what the court majority considers an untimely legal response. As noted in the dissenting opinion, our campaign filed only two days after the Commission certified their list of independent candidates. As a working-class campaign that cannot afford attorneys on retainer, unlike the two major parties, it takes time for us to find legal representation, formulate a response and file documents," Angela Walker said.
The campaign is currently weighing out its legal options, and Wisconsinites may now have to write-in Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker in order to vote for the only presidential ticket that fights for a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and fair elections and ballot access. The campaign vows to continue to fight alongside the Wisconsin Green Party to regain its ballot status, which will require one percent of the statewide vote, or about 20,000 votes.
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Hawkins/Walker 2020
For more information: Robert Smith, Media Coordinator
September 14, 2020
Greens demand ballot decision today
(Syracuse, NY – September 14, 2020) The Green Party candidates for president and vice-president are demanding that the Wisconsin Supreme Court put them on the ballot today.
“The court should have made a decision by now. We want a decision today to put us on the ballot. We want the absentee ballot process to proceed without further delay,” said Howie Hawkins, the Green presidential candidate.
The delay in the printing of the absentee ballots that are supposed to be mailed out by September 17 was precipitated by objections by Democratic members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC). WEC staff certified that over 3,000 signatures on the Greens’ ballot petitions were from qualified voters, well over the 2,000 required.
However, Democrats objected that vice presidential candidate Angela Walker did not properly inform the WEC of her address change within her current home town of Florence, South Carolina. At an August 20 hearing on the the case, a motion to place the Greens on the ballot failed 3-3 in a partisan vote by the commissioners. The Greens appealed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Republican justices on the court bench hold a 4-3 majority.
“I filed my address change properly to the Wisconsin Elections Commission as they instructed me to when our campaign informed them of my address change. The Democrat chairing the hearing concerning Democratic objections to my filing prevented that documentation from being presented. They had that information in hand. The Democratic commissioners could have resolved the problem last month at the hearing. Instead, they are playing politics with Wisconsin voters. They could end this now by withdrawing their phony objections. The Democratic commissioners are as guilty as the Republican justices in this hold-up of absentee ballots,” said Angela Walker, the Greens’ vice presidential candidate.
Hawkins said the court’s request for information last Tuesday on whether ballots had been mailed is now moot. No ballots were mailed, according to reporting by the Milwaukee Sentinel Journal.
“The Republican-majority court has all the information it needs to place us on the ballot and let the absentee voting process move forward. The Democrats have all the information they need to know their case is baseless and drop it. It’s time for both parties stop this partisan jockeying at the expense of Wisconsin voters,” Hawkins said.
“We have been campaigning to end voter suppression, whether by discriminatory photo ID laws or by suppressing third party alternatives. We want everyone who is voting by absentee ballot due to the COVID crisis to have their vote count. Voters should have all their options on the ballot. It is time for the Democrats and Republicans to stop using the election law to manipulate the election results. The court should stand up today for democracy,” said Walker, a Milwaukee native who won 20% of the vote for Sheriff of Milwaukee County in 2014 as an independent socialist against the conservative Democratic incumbent, David Clarke.
Sept. 10 order
Hawkins/Walker 2020
Andrea Mérida
Robert Smith
September 10, 2020
HAWKINS CAMPAIGN BLASTS DEMOCRATS’ MANUFACTURED CRISIS IN WISCONSIN
(Syracuse, NY) – Today the Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered that absentee ballots should not be mailed until it decides whether to place Green Party candidates Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker on the ballot. The Court will review the actions taken by the Democrats on the Wisconsin Election Commission in keeping the Green candidates off the ballot. The Court is seeking additional facts to make a decision in this critically important case involving voter choice.“The courts are right to be skeptical of this manufactured delay caused by the Democrats,” said campaign manager Andrea Mérida, “Had the Democrats on the Elections Commission avoided violating basic due process at the hearing, we would not be in this position. Instead, the hyper-partisan Democrats on the commission denied our campaign the right to present evidence and should have dismissed the challenge from the beginning because our campaign followed the commission staff’s instructions to the letter regarding Angela Walker’s address change.”
Mérida continued, “There was discussion during the hearing about the potential for us to seek relief via the courts, and prudence would have dictated that the commission communicate to local elections authorities that a lawsuit might be pending.”
The Hawkins/Walker campaign has advocated that vote by mail be available to every voter in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
“If the Democrats spent as much effort fighting Republican-led voter roll purges and photo ID requirements to suppress the votes of African Americans in Milwaukee and students in Madison as they do trying to keep the Green Party off the ballot, they wouldn’t lose so many elections to the Republicans, the most openly racist and reactionary party in America since the Democrats violently overthrew the Reconstruction governments in the South under the slogan of ‘White Supremacy.’ Party suppression is the Democratic Party’s form of voter suppression. Green candidates bring voters to the polls that otherwise would stay home,” said Howie Hawkins, the Green Party’s presidential candidate.
“Our petition garnered three times as many signatures as is required from thousands of voters who are ready to see a Green Party choice on the ballot, and we intend to go all the way to ensure a fully-inclusive democracy,” said Angela Walker, the Green Party vice presidential nominee and an African-American native of Milwaukee who now lives in Florence, South Carolina.
Link to the order: https://howiehawkins.
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Hawkins/Walker 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2020
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Kevin Zeese
Robert Smith
Howie Hawkins Files Suit Against Election Commission In Wisconsin Supreme Court For Ballot Access
Today, the Green Party campaign of Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker filed suit against the Wisconsin Elections Commission in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The suit filed by the Milwaukee law firm of von Briesen & Roper, s.c., asks the court to place Hawkins and Walker on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 general election.Howie Hawkins said, “Thousands of voters in Wisconsin signed petitions to put the Green Party on the ballot. These voters want more choices than the Democratic and Republican Party. Our campaign stands with the majority of voters and calls for Medicare for all, a Green New Deal, taxes on the wealthy and an end to ongoing wars, and neither President Trump or former Vice President Biden supports those issues.”
Two thousand signatures are required to place candidates on the ballot. The Commission agreed that Hawkins/Walker submitted 1,789 valid signatures. In dispute were 1,834 more signatures where the staff of the Commission certified that they were qualified Wisconsin voters. The Commission voted 3-3 failing to sustain a challenge to the validity of those signatures. Under the law, those signatures should be presumed valid because the complaint filed by Allen Arnstein did not provide clear and convincing evidence that the petitions were invalid.
The issue in the case is around the address of Angela Walker, who said, “Throughout this process I lived in Florence, SC. My address in Florence changed, and the Commission has my current address.” The Hawkins/Walker campaign contacted the Commission for advice on how to proceed regarding Walker’s address and followed the Commission’s advice, submitting a statement of candidacy with the signatures with her current address.
“We hope the court will uphold the right of voters to vote for the Green Party since we submitted far more than enough valid signatures,” Hawkins said.
The suit asks for expedited action because the deadline for finalizing the ballot is rapidly approaching.
Petition
Hawkins/Walker 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2020
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Kevin Zeese, Press Secretary
Robert Smith, Media Coordinator
Green Candidates Hawkins and Walker To Sue Wisconsin For Ballot Access
(September 1, 2020 - Syracuse, NY and Florence, SC) Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker have retained the law firm of von Briesen & Roper, s.c., to challenge the Elections Commission’s decision to deny ballot access to the Green Party presidential and vice presidential nominees.The litigation will be filed this week. Hawkins said, “Thousands of voters in Wisconsin signed petitions to put us on the ballot and we are suing to protect their right to have choices beyond the two parties funded by the millionaires and billionaires. We are confident that the Wisconsin courts will recognize that our campaign has shown sufficient public support to be placed on the ballot. The Democratic Commission members have committed a crime against democracy by suppressing voter choice.”
Angela Walker, a Wisconsin native who ran for office in Milwaukee and worked with Wisconsin unions, said, “The Democratic Party is behaving like the anti-Democratic Party by working to keep the Green Party off the ballot. Thousands of voters in Wisconsin reject both former Vice President Joe Biden or President Donald Trump. These voters deserve more choices. Unlike the two corporate parties, we put the interests of the people before corporations, and we put the protection of the planet ahead of protection of big business profits.”
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Hawkins/Walker 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 21, 2020
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Kevin Zeese, Press Secretary
Robert Smith, Media Coordinator
WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS KNOCK HAWKINS/WALKER OFF BALLOT, CAMPAIGN WILL GO TO COURT
GREENS PLAN TO FILE LAWSUIT
TO GIVE VOTERS A CHOICE
Syracuse, NY: The ongoing struggle to give voters more choices continues. Yesterday, the Wisconsin Elections Commission in a partisan 3-3 vote refused to put the Green Party presidential ticket of Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker on the ballot.
The Hawkins/Walker campaign promised to file suit to give voters a choice. “Thousands of voters in Wisconsin signed petitions to put us on the ballot. The Democratic Commission members have committed a crime against democracy by suppressing voter choice. If there is any justice left in Wisconsin, the judge will put us on the ballot,” said Howie Hawkins, the Green Party presidential nominee.
“Party suppression is a form of voter suppression. Ballot access laws are used to limit voters’ choices to two candidates from the corporate-financed parties and keep candidates that do not take corporate money off the ballot,” said Howie Hawkins. “Our campaign supports improved Medicare for all and the Green New Deal — these were phrases that no one who spoke at the Democratic Convention even uttered. Joe Biden opposes them. Yet more than 85% of Democrats support these policies. The Democrats do not want competition from a ticket with a popular platform because they want to be able to take progressive voters for granted.”
Andrea Mérida, the Hawkins/Walker campaign manager who argued the case before the Commission, said, “Yesterday’s hearing was a demonstration of how deeply political bigotry has taken hold among the Democrats on the Commission. The campaign disclosed Angela Walker’s change of address within the same city of Florence, South Carolina during the petitioning period, and we followed Commission staff’s procedural instructions to the letter, even when they lurched between three different sets of instructions over two days.”
The Green Party submitted more than enough valid signatures to be on the ballot in Wisconsin. The Commission’s staff said the petition had 3,623 valid signatures, well over the minimum 2,000 signatures required. But the Commissioners divided along partisan lines over counting 1,834 signatures that were signed on petitions with Angela Walker’s former address. Walker moved within Florence, South Carolina during the petition drive and the initial signatures were collected under her old address. Walker’s address was correct the petitions were signed, but the Democratic Party members of the Commission refused to accept those signatures.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission will only count 4,000 signatures so even though the Hawkins/Walker campaign has an additional 2,000 signatures, they were not considered by the Commission.
Mérida described the unfairness of the hearing saying, “The chair of the Commission showed a stunning lack of due process by not allowing us to introduce evidence to refute the cherry-picked staff analysis. It’s time for that six-member, bipartisan commission to be expanded to include independents and third party members. If there was ever a demonstration of the need for proportional representation, this is it.”
Walker, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. said, “The people of Wisconsin have spoken: they want the Green Party on the ballot. They want a choice, and it is time for the Democratic Party to respect that. At a time of heightened dissatisfaction with the two-party system, the Democrats are not doing themselves any favors in denying the opportunity for real democracy to an electorate that is demanding it.”
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Hawkins/Walker 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2020
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Kevin Zeese, Press Secretary
Robert Smith, Media Coordinator
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2020
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Kevin Zeese, Press Secretary
Robert Smith, Media Coordinator
Democrats’ Efforts to Deny Ballot Lines to Green Party is Voter Suppression
Syracuse, NY: Howie
Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for President,
said today that Democratic Party efforts to
prevent him and VP nominee Angela Walker from
being on the ballot was voter suppression that
rivaled the more well-known efforts of Trump and
the Republicans to undermine democracy (release on
Trump).
The Greens cited Democratic Party efforts seeking to block Green opposition from the ballot this year in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Montana. The Greens have sued over ballot access in several states. Five third parties have sued Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York state over recent laws seeking to eliminate them. Most states have rejected calls to reduce ballot access requirements this year despite the pandemic making it extremely dangerous and unsafe to collect petition signatures in person.
The huge amount of funding, volunteers and time spent navigating the obstacle course of ballot access diverts the limited resources the Greens have to do outreach to voters in the general election.
“The myth that the United States is a beacon of democracy is taught in American schools and reinforced by mainstream media. The reality is far different. The United States is one of only three democracies that do not use proportional representation, where legislative seats are allocated based on percentage of votes. Unlike other countries, campaigns are financed by the legalized bribery of private campaign funding by wealth special interests”, Hawkins pointed out. “Porous campaign finance laws allow undisclosed dark money into election finances and Supreme Court rulings have said that electoral spending by the wealthy and special interests is a form of protected free speech. Then the two parties write ballot access laws that are far more onerous than other democracies to prevent challenges by third parties, independents, and insurgent candidates,” noted Hawkins.
“Party suppression is a form of voter suppression. Rather than seeking to limit voters’ choices on election day to the candidates of the two corporate-financed parties, the Democrats need to join the Greens in fighting Republican efforts to prevent average Americans from voting. Trump’s open assault on the US Post Office to make it harder to vote by mail is especially outrageous,” Hawkins noted.
Both parties have suppressed voting by making it harder for low-income residents, students and tenants to register, purging voter rolls, reducing polling places and machines in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods to create long waiting lines, and blocking individuals with criminal justice records from voting. Republicans tend to do this throughout the election cycle, while Democrats are often more focused on primaries, except when Greens challenge them in the general election.
Hawkins noted that Democrats’ effort to block support for Greens can hurt the Democrats themselves. The presence of Green candidates brings out voters who would otherwise stay home. Many voters who go to polls to support Green candidates end up voting for Democratic candidates in down-ballot elections. 61% of Jill Stein voters in 2016 would have stayed home according to exit polls. Ralph Nader’s presence in 2000 brought more voters out who also voted for Marie Cantwell, enabling her to win a close race in Washington, allowing the Democrats to take control of the US Senate.
The Democrats routinely seek to knock the Greens off the ballot due to technical problems in meeting the rules written by the two parties. In Pennsylvania, which has attempted to charge candidates tens of thousands of dollars for the fees of lawyers who challenged Green ballot petitions, Democrats are challenging the Green presidential ticket over the routine practice of listing stand-in candidates that are replaced once the national nominating convention picks the ticket. In Wisconsin, Democrats are challenging because VP candidate Angela Walker moved during the petitioning period. The campaign notified the Wisconsin election commission and followed their instructions. In Montana, the Democrats harassed 600 individuals to remove their names from petitions that had been submitted.
One purpose of Green presidential campaigns is to secure ballot lines, so the party can more readily run local, state, and federal candidates in the next election cycle. In 40 of the 50 states, the Green vote in the presidential race determines whether a party has a ballot line for the next election cycle. In most states, it takes 1%, 2%, 3%, or 5% of the popular vote for president to win ballot qualification.
US ballot access requirements are far more onerous than other electoral democracies. Without a ballot line, Greens must do independent nominating petitions.
For the House of Representatives for example, an independent must get thousands of signatures in many states: 3,500 in New York; over 4,000 in Arizona; over 15,000 in Illinois; over 20,000 in Georgia and Ohio; over 30,000 in Alabama; and over 40,000 in Indiana. By comparison, if you want to run as an independent for the House of Commons in the UK, it takes 10 signatures. In New Zealand 2 signatures, Australia 50, Canada 100 (or 50 in rural districts), Germany 200.
“Boss Tweed in New York City used to say he was happy to allow the voters to select the winner as long as he got to select the candidates. That’s what the Democrats and Republicans still do today. The Green Party challenges the political duopoly that is bankrolled by corporate special interests. Party suppression and other forms of voter suppression are why a white supremacist con man can get elected President,” Hawkins said.
The Greens cited Democratic Party efforts seeking to block Green opposition from the ballot this year in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Montana. The Greens have sued over ballot access in several states. Five third parties have sued Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York state over recent laws seeking to eliminate them. Most states have rejected calls to reduce ballot access requirements this year despite the pandemic making it extremely dangerous and unsafe to collect petition signatures in person.
The huge amount of funding, volunteers and time spent navigating the obstacle course of ballot access diverts the limited resources the Greens have to do outreach to voters in the general election.
“The myth that the United States is a beacon of democracy is taught in American schools and reinforced by mainstream media. The reality is far different. The United States is one of only three democracies that do not use proportional representation, where legislative seats are allocated based on percentage of votes. Unlike other countries, campaigns are financed by the legalized bribery of private campaign funding by wealth special interests”, Hawkins pointed out. “Porous campaign finance laws allow undisclosed dark money into election finances and Supreme Court rulings have said that electoral spending by the wealthy and special interests is a form of protected free speech. Then the two parties write ballot access laws that are far more onerous than other democracies to prevent challenges by third parties, independents, and insurgent candidates,” noted Hawkins.
“Party suppression is a form of voter suppression. Rather than seeking to limit voters’ choices on election day to the candidates of the two corporate-financed parties, the Democrats need to join the Greens in fighting Republican efforts to prevent average Americans from voting. Trump’s open assault on the US Post Office to make it harder to vote by mail is especially outrageous,” Hawkins noted.
Both parties have suppressed voting by making it harder for low-income residents, students and tenants to register, purging voter rolls, reducing polling places and machines in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods to create long waiting lines, and blocking individuals with criminal justice records from voting. Republicans tend to do this throughout the election cycle, while Democrats are often more focused on primaries, except when Greens challenge them in the general election.
Hawkins noted that Democrats’ effort to block support for Greens can hurt the Democrats themselves. The presence of Green candidates brings out voters who would otherwise stay home. Many voters who go to polls to support Green candidates end up voting for Democratic candidates in down-ballot elections. 61% of Jill Stein voters in 2016 would have stayed home according to exit polls. Ralph Nader’s presence in 2000 brought more voters out who also voted for Marie Cantwell, enabling her to win a close race in Washington, allowing the Democrats to take control of the US Senate.
The Democrats routinely seek to knock the Greens off the ballot due to technical problems in meeting the rules written by the two parties. In Pennsylvania, which has attempted to charge candidates tens of thousands of dollars for the fees of lawyers who challenged Green ballot petitions, Democrats are challenging the Green presidential ticket over the routine practice of listing stand-in candidates that are replaced once the national nominating convention picks the ticket. In Wisconsin, Democrats are challenging because VP candidate Angela Walker moved during the petitioning period. The campaign notified the Wisconsin election commission and followed their instructions. In Montana, the Democrats harassed 600 individuals to remove their names from petitions that had been submitted.
One purpose of Green presidential campaigns is to secure ballot lines, so the party can more readily run local, state, and federal candidates in the next election cycle. In 40 of the 50 states, the Green vote in the presidential race determines whether a party has a ballot line for the next election cycle. In most states, it takes 1%, 2%, 3%, or 5% of the popular vote for president to win ballot qualification.
US ballot access requirements are far more onerous than other electoral democracies. Without a ballot line, Greens must do independent nominating petitions.
For the House of Representatives for example, an independent must get thousands of signatures in many states: 3,500 in New York; over 4,000 in Arizona; over 15,000 in Illinois; over 20,000 in Georgia and Ohio; over 30,000 in Alabama; and over 40,000 in Indiana. By comparison, if you want to run as an independent for the House of Commons in the UK, it takes 10 signatures. In New Zealand 2 signatures, Australia 50, Canada 100 (or 50 in rural districts), Germany 200.
“Boss Tweed in New York City used to say he was happy to allow the voters to select the winner as long as he got to select the candidates. That’s what the Democrats and Republicans still do today. The Green Party challenges the political duopoly that is bankrolled by corporate special interests. Party suppression and other forms of voter suppression are why a white supremacist con man can get elected President,” Hawkins said.
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Wisconsin Elections Commission
DateTue, 08/04/2020 - 19:05
DateTue, 08/04/2020 - 19:05
Independent Candidates for President File Paperwork
MADISON, WI – Five independent
candidates filed signatures and paperwork today with
the Wisconsin Elections Commission to get their names
on the ballot for President of the United States in
the state for the November 3 General Election.
Under Wisconsin law, independent presidential candidates can get on the ballot by filing a minimum of 2,000 valid signatures of Wisconsin electors on nomination papers, as well as a Declaration of Candidacy form for both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
These candidates filed papers today:
Jo Jorgensen (Pres.) and Jeremy Spike Cohen (VP) - Libertarian Party
Howie Hawkins (Pres.) and Angela Walker (VP) - Green Party
Brian Carroll (Pres.) and Amar Patel (VP) - American Solidarity Party
Kanye West (Pres.) and Michelle Tidball (VP) - BDY (The Birthday Party) Independent
Kyle Kenley Kopitke (Pres.) and Taja Yvonne Iwanow (VP) – The Peoples Revolution
Copies of the nomination papers filed by all candidates will be available Wednesday on the Commission’s data website: https://BadgerVoters.wi.gov.
WEC staff will be reviewing the petitions in the coming days to determine sufficiency and that the candidates meet all qualifications to get on the ballot. All candidates are currently in pending status and have not yet been approved. Candidates for the November 3 General Election will be certified by the WEC at a later date.
Under Wisconsin law, independent presidential candidates can get on the ballot by filing a minimum of 2,000 valid signatures of Wisconsin electors on nomination papers, as well as a Declaration of Candidacy form for both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
These candidates filed papers today:
Jo Jorgensen (Pres.) and Jeremy Spike Cohen (VP) - Libertarian Party
Howie Hawkins (Pres.) and Angela Walker (VP) - Green Party
Brian Carroll (Pres.) and Amar Patel (VP) - American Solidarity Party
Kanye West (Pres.) and Michelle Tidball (VP) - BDY (The Birthday Party) Independent
Kyle Kenley Kopitke (Pres.) and Taja Yvonne Iwanow (VP) – The Peoples Revolution
Copies of the nomination papers filed by all candidates will be available Wednesday on the Commission’s data website: https://BadgerVoters.wi.gov.
WEC staff will be reviewing the petitions in the coming days to determine sufficiency and that the candidates meet all qualifications to get on the ballot. All candidates are currently in pending status and have not yet been approved. Candidates for the November 3 General Election will be certified by the WEC at a later date.
WI Greens Ballot Drive for Hawkins/Walker 2020
Posted by Dave Schwab 1109GP on July 25, 2020 ·UPDATE FRIDAY 7/31: 4 days left!
Please get us any petition signatures you have ASAP.
If you can drop your petitions off with us in
Milwaukee or Madison, please do so. If not, please
mail them ASAP. Petitions must be in Friday's mail for
us to be reasonably confident we'll get them before
the deadline. Thank you!
Wisconsin Greens are going all out in the last week of our petition drive to put original Green New Deal champion Howie Hawkins and Milwaukee's own Angela Walker on the ballot in Wisconsin as our 2020 Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates!
We have only until Tuesday August 4 to collect at least 2,000 valid signatures. To make it happen, we need the help of everyone who wants the opportunity to vote Green this year. We need people to sign the petition, and collect signatures either as volunteers or as paid petitioners. Here's how to help:
1. Sign the Petition! If you can print, print out the petition. If you don't have printer access and you're in the Milwaukee or Madison areas, submit our petition request form and we'll do our best to get petitions to you. Ask your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors etc. to sign too. Every signature helps! (see below for how to submit your petitions)
2. Collect Petition Signatures! We need people to help collect signatures, either as volunteers or as paid petitioners. We are offering $1 per valid signature to people who can collect at least 20 signatures between now and Monday August 3. If you are interested in petitioning either as a volunteer or as a paid petitioner, please contact our Ballot Access Director Barb Dahlgren at at bmanio@att.net or 708-829-5315.
We need as many people as possible out collecting signatures between now and August 3 to make sure we reach our goal! See below for important information for petitioners.
3. Submit your Petitions! Once your petitions are complete, make sure to fill out and sign the Certification of Circulator at the bottom of each sheet (do not fill out the page number). PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PETITIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE RECEIVE THEM BEFORE THE DEADLINE!
If you are outside the Milwaukee or Madison areas, mail your petitions as soon as possible, and no later than Friday July 31st, to:
Wisconsin Green Party
PO Box 108
Madison, WI 53701
If you have significant numbers of signatures in your possession after the Post Office closes on Friday, and are unable to personally deliver your petitions to Madison or Milwaukee, contact Barb Dahlgren, bmanio@att.net 708-829-5315 to figure out an alternative way to get us your petitions.
Milwaukee area: Drop your petitions off at:
Barbara Dahlgren
1928 S. 56th St.
West Allis, WI 53219
Milwaukee area contact: Barb Dahlgren, bmanio@att.net 708-829-5315
Madison area: Drop your petitions off at:
Dave Schwab
20 N Franklin St.
Madison, WI 53703
Madison area contact: Dave Schwab, david.c.schwab@gmail.com 518-610-2708
4. Important information for petitioners
Change on petition to Angela Walker's address
We recently learned that Angela Walker recently changed addresses, and her old address was on our petition. Since then, we have been working with the State Elections Commission staff to ensure that we update our petitions accordingly.
Her new address is:
315 Royal St., Apt A, Florence, SC 29506
So here's the deal:
There are new petition sheets on the Wisconsin Green Party website:
https://www.wisconsingreenparty.org/petition2020
If you are able to, download and print these new forms with the new address.
If you have petition sheets with signatures on them, don't add any more signatures to that form. Turn them in to us ASAP. Once a voter has signed the petition, no candidate information on that page may be changed.
If you have (or are expecting to get) printed sheets that we sent you with the old address, and you are unable to print new petitions, follow these steps on each unused sheet before collecting signatures on it:
Cross out Angela Walker's old address,
Place your initials (in ink) with today's date by the correction,
Write the new address (see above) in the remaining space.
Safe Petitioning Protocols
Here are some safe petitioning protocols that you should follow:
Wear a mask. A face shield and gloves are a good idea too.
Keep several extra pens with you that you can swap out and sanitize after each use. These should be black or blue ballpoints only.
Keep hand sanitizer handy, for yourself, to offer to signers, and to wipe down pens after someone signs
When watching the signature, try to only get close enough to read what they're doing.
Petitioning Tips 101
Look for areas with foot traffic like main streets, parks, beaches, supermarket parking lots, etc. Approach people, wave, and say something like:
"Hi! Are you eligible to vote in Wisconsin? [IF YES] Great! Could you help me out real quick with a signature to help get Green Party candidates on the ballot and give people another choice?"
If they say yes, get their signature, printed name, and the address where they're registered to vote (or if they're not registered, their home address - no PO boxes).
If they say no, wish them a nice day and move on to the next person. Remember: we're not out to argue or have long political debates, we're out to get as many signatures as we can before the deadline.
If they hesitate, say something like:
"It's just to give people another choice, you don't have to support them or vote for them. Signing just means you support people having the right to more choices in a democracy."
If people are rude or blow you off, don't take it personally! Just take a deep breath, sip some water, and move on to the next person. Petitioning is basically a numbers game: the more people we ask, the more signatures we'll get, and that's how we get it done.
We are hoping to reach our goal by Saturday August 1, before rainier weather moves in on Sunday. We are in the last big push and we need everyone out who can petition. It's up to us to make sure that everyone in Wisconsin has the opportunity to vote Green for the only national campaign for Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, Ranked Choice Voting, an end to endless wars, and the better world we know is possible!
If you have any questions, please contact Barb Dahlgren at bmanio@att.net or 708-829-5315.
Thank you for your help getting the Green Party on the ballot this year!
Wisconsin Greens are going all out in the last week of our petition drive to put original Green New Deal champion Howie Hawkins and Milwaukee's own Angela Walker on the ballot in Wisconsin as our 2020 Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates!
We have only until Tuesday August 4 to collect at least 2,000 valid signatures. To make it happen, we need the help of everyone who wants the opportunity to vote Green this year. We need people to sign the petition, and collect signatures either as volunteers or as paid petitioners. Here's how to help:
1. Sign the Petition! If you can print, print out the petition. If you don't have printer access and you're in the Milwaukee or Madison areas, submit our petition request form and we'll do our best to get petitions to you. Ask your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors etc. to sign too. Every signature helps! (see below for how to submit your petitions)
2. Collect Petition Signatures! We need people to help collect signatures, either as volunteers or as paid petitioners. We are offering $1 per valid signature to people who can collect at least 20 signatures between now and Monday August 3. If you are interested in petitioning either as a volunteer or as a paid petitioner, please contact our Ballot Access Director Barb Dahlgren at at bmanio@att.net or 708-829-5315.
We need as many people as possible out collecting signatures between now and August 3 to make sure we reach our goal! See below for important information for petitioners.
3. Submit your Petitions! Once your petitions are complete, make sure to fill out and sign the Certification of Circulator at the bottom of each sheet (do not fill out the page number). PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PETITIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE RECEIVE THEM BEFORE THE DEADLINE!
If you are outside the Milwaukee or Madison areas, mail your petitions as soon as possible, and no later than Friday July 31st, to:
Wisconsin Green Party
PO Box 108
Madison, WI 53701
If you have significant numbers of signatures in your possession after the Post Office closes on Friday, and are unable to personally deliver your petitions to Madison or Milwaukee, contact Barb Dahlgren, bmanio@att.net 708-829-5315 to figure out an alternative way to get us your petitions.
Milwaukee area: Drop your petitions off at:
Barbara Dahlgren
1928 S. 56th St.
West Allis, WI 53219
Milwaukee area contact: Barb Dahlgren, bmanio@att.net 708-829-5315
Madison area: Drop your petitions off at:
Dave Schwab
20 N Franklin St.
Madison, WI 53703
Madison area contact: Dave Schwab, david.c.schwab@gmail.com 518-610-2708
4. Important information for petitioners
Change on petition to Angela Walker's address
We recently learned that Angela Walker recently changed addresses, and her old address was on our petition. Since then, we have been working with the State Elections Commission staff to ensure that we update our petitions accordingly.
Her new address is:
315 Royal St., Apt A, Florence, SC 29506
So here's the deal:
There are new petition sheets on the Wisconsin Green Party website:
https://www.wisconsingreenparty.org/petition2020
If you are able to, download and print these new forms with the new address.
If you have petition sheets with signatures on them, don't add any more signatures to that form. Turn them in to us ASAP. Once a voter has signed the petition, no candidate information on that page may be changed.
If you have (or are expecting to get) printed sheets that we sent you with the old address, and you are unable to print new petitions, follow these steps on each unused sheet before collecting signatures on it:
Cross out Angela Walker's old address,
Place your initials (in ink) with today's date by the correction,
Write the new address (see above) in the remaining space.
Safe Petitioning Protocols
Here are some safe petitioning protocols that you should follow:
Wear a mask. A face shield and gloves are a good idea too.
Keep several extra pens with you that you can swap out and sanitize after each use. These should be black or blue ballpoints only.
Keep hand sanitizer handy, for yourself, to offer to signers, and to wipe down pens after someone signs
When watching the signature, try to only get close enough to read what they're doing.
Petitioning Tips 101
Look for areas with foot traffic like main streets, parks, beaches, supermarket parking lots, etc. Approach people, wave, and say something like:
"Hi! Are you eligible to vote in Wisconsin? [IF YES] Great! Could you help me out real quick with a signature to help get Green Party candidates on the ballot and give people another choice?"
If they say yes, get their signature, printed name, and the address where they're registered to vote (or if they're not registered, their home address - no PO boxes).
If they say no, wish them a nice day and move on to the next person. Remember: we're not out to argue or have long political debates, we're out to get as many signatures as we can before the deadline.
If they hesitate, say something like:
"It's just to give people another choice, you don't have to support them or vote for them. Signing just means you support people having the right to more choices in a democracy."
If people are rude or blow you off, don't take it personally! Just take a deep breath, sip some water, and move on to the next person. Petitioning is basically a numbers game: the more people we ask, the more signatures we'll get, and that's how we get it done.
We are hoping to reach our goal by Saturday August 1, before rainier weather moves in on Sunday. We are in the last big push and we need everyone out who can petition. It's up to us to make sure that everyone in Wisconsin has the opportunity to vote Green for the only national campaign for Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, Ranked Choice Voting, an end to endless wars, and the better world we know is possible!
If you have any questions, please contact Barb Dahlgren at bmanio@att.net or 708-829-5315.
Thank you for your help getting the Green Party on the ballot this year!
Copyright © 2020 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in
Action. All rights reserved.