[GPCA Updates] PRESS RELEASE: Green Candidate Finds No Ballot Access

[Green Party of California Updates]

Greens fighting to be heard in Special Election Assembly race; New rules meant
to keep Green Party candidates off ballot

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO (Jan 26, 2011) - A potential Green Party candidate in an Assembly
special election said today he is considering a lawsuit after he and at least
one other potential candidate were prevented from running in the election
because there was an extremely short time period - only two days after Gov.
Brown declared the special election - and a unusually large number of
signatures needed to qualify.

Gary Blenner, a registered Green Party member, former Center Unified School
District board trustee and teacher at Rio Americano High School, said the time
limits made it impossible for him to run for the seat as planned.

He said he and other rejected candidates are considering a lawsuit.

"It was barely 48 hours from the time Gov. Brown called the Special Election
until the time signatures were due. When I inquired about filing my candidacy
the next day, I was told the only way to file was by paying an outrageously
high filing fee," said Blenner.

"There was no way anyone without a huge campaign war chest can participate in
our so-called democracy under these conditions. It severely limits the choices
for voters," he added.

Election law expert Richard Winger of Ballot Access News confirmed that nine
federal courts have ruled, during the last 30 years, that states cannot force
candidates to complete ballot access petitions in tiny amounts of time.

Further, he said, smaller parties previously have had to only collect a
maximum of 150 signatures, not 1,500 under new rules.

"California elections officials have been careless and inconsiderate of the
rights of candidates and voters by assuming they can force candidates in
special elections to complete hefty petitions for themselves in less than a
week," said Winger.

Daniel Frederick, Peace and Freedom Party nominee for State Assembly from
District 4 in 2010, also said he was turned down when he tried to run because
he could not collect the 1,500 signatures.

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