With more than 10,000 signatures, Jill Stein, the Green-Rainbow Party candidate for Massachusetts Governor, has now qualified for the November election. The party also turned in signatures for two other candidates to appear in the general election. Richard Winger at BAN reports that the party only needs one its candidates to receive 3% of the vote in the next election, so it should have automatic ballot-access in 2012.
The Green-Rainbow gubernatorial candidate has yet to garner much attention in her bid. However, Some have speculated that Stein may have a great impact on the race, as she could split progressive votes with incumbent Governor Deval Patrick (D). Her other opponents are Republican Charlie Baker and Independent Tim Cahill.
In other news on the candidate, Stein is quite vocal with her opposition to any potential casino gambling bill coming from the Massachusetts legislature.
The Sun Gazette covers Independent Green Party candidate Ron Fisher
http://www.sungazette.net/articles/2010/08/04/arlington/news/nw95t.txt
The Examiner includes Independent Green Party of Virginia candidate Ron Fisher in story..
http://www.examiner.com/x-41518-Alexandria-Nonpartisan-Examiner~y2010m8d5-Former-opponent-endorses-Murray
This is excellent Green Party news.
Thank you. Dr. Jill Stein is a superb Green Party candidate and will make Mass a great Governor..
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Massachusetts does not work that way.
First, thank God, the signatures are presented to town clerks and board of election, who do conscientious and careful jobs of checking the signatures. If we had the state doing this, the validity rates would go to hell in a handbasket.
Then the verified signatures go to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
The certified signatures can then be challenged. My sources indicate she was quite close to not having enough signatures, so there might be a challenge.
I’d like to add to that now that she’s on the ballot, the drive is to get at least $100,000 in donations by mid-September in order to quality for state matching funds. There’s a group pushing hard to get people to donate $10 or more on certain days, and another moneybomb action day is coming up on Tuesday – http://www.democracydays.com/
Actually, the various town halls across the state are for the most part really fast at certifying the results. They’ve known the whole signature drive how many certified signatures they’ve had on hand, so right now they’re sure they’re on the ballot.
She just submitted the signatures, the state still has to check them.