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Departments Ohio Ballot access setback for third parties They are throwing us off the ballot after we turned in over 57,000 signatures and spent $50,000! We poured our heart and soul into this ballot drive. People all over the state circulated petitions and people all over the state signed petitions saying they want the Libertarian Party on the ballot in Ohio. BUT Secretary of State Ken Blackwell arbitrarily ruled them invalid due to a petition language technicality. Libertarian, Green, Reform, Natural Law, etc. parties deserve the same right to run for office and vote for their candidates as Republicans and Democrats have. But apparently Blackwell doesn't think so. The 57,000 who signed our petitions have no voice, according to him. And the plot thickens...in a recent article in the Columbus Dispatch columnist Steve Stephens called Blackwell, "The politician who might benefit the most from no Libertarians on the ballot." Coincidence? Regardless of Blackwell's motives, Ohio is the only state in the top nine (with 15 or more electoral votes) that has NO third parties on the ballot. We are entering into a legal battle with the Secretary of State's Office to change that. We completed the process -- we jumped through their hoops -- now we want our right to run candidates, too. Ballots are not just for Republicans and Democrats. We have retained two well-respected and capable election law attorneys -- Gary Sinawski and Don McTigue -- to appeal this decision for us. But attorneys aren't cheap and we need at least $8,000 to pay them. If you are tired of Ohio being a two-party state, we need your help. Please visit our web site and make your best donation so that we can pay our attorneys and continue this fight. www.lpo.org/Activism/DonateBallot.shtml We are not just defending the rights of the Libertarian Party, but of ALL THIRD PARTIES to participate in politics in Ohio! Ballot access for third parties is tough in our state and we worked long and hard to meet the Ohio's requirements. During the time we were petitioning, the Secretary of State changed the language on the petition forms. We were not notified of the change and had no knowledge of it. When we turned our forms in, we were told that they are invalid because of the language change! It's even more sinister than that...when some Republican candidates had problems with their forms last year, Blackwell interpreted the law more liberally and cut them some slack, allowing them on the ballot. But with Libertarians, he rules differently. Allowing the Secretary of State to make arbitrary decisions like this is just plain wrong. Think about it: Blackwell's petition language ploy means that he could conceivably change one of his government forms at any time resulting in no third parties EVER getting on the ballot in Ohio! Maybe that is what HE wants, but we know you don't agree. Open elections are essential to freedom and we can't allow a government bureaucrat to interfere with that process. Please help us fight this ominous threat to liberty. Give generously so that we can go to court to fight for your right to vote for the candidate of the party of your choice. Donate online at www.lpo.org/Activism/DonateBallot.shtml Or send your check to: Libertarian Party of Ohio 700 Morse Road, Suite 208 Columbus, OH 43214 Thank you. Dena L. Bruedigam, Vice Chair Libertarian Party of Ohio |
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