GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATEShttp://www.gp.org
For Immediate Release:
Monday, September 13, 2004
Greens to Florida Dems:
Don't Give Bush Free Pass on Ballot Line
While Democrats block Nader's ballot access in Florida on technicalities, a 'gentlemen's agreement' between Democrats
and Republicans allows state to ignore Bush's missed deadline; Greens face similar double standard across the U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party members across the U.S. are supporting the demand from Florida Greens that President
George W. Bush be removed from the Florida ballot, in accord with Florida election law.
Florida Republicans missed the September 1 filing deadline to place Mr. Bush on the state ballot, but Florida Democrats
are refusing to hold them to state election rules. Meanwhile, Florida Democrats have used election rule technicalities
to deny Ralph Nader his Reform Party line on the Florida ballot, and Circuit Judge P. Kevin Davey ruled on September 8
that the Reform Party failed to meet legal qualifications as a minor party to run Mr. Nader in Florida.
The Green Party of the United States nominated David Cobb and Pat LaMarche at the party's 2004 convention in Milwaukee
in June. But Greens have also defended the right of Mr. Nader and running mate Peter Camejo, running as independents
(with Reform Party ballot lines in several states), to have their names on state ballots, especially in the face of
efforts by Democratic Party operatives in many states to obstruct them.
"Florida Democrats are giving Mr. Bush a free pass, while working to block Ralph Nader's access to the ballot," said
Sarah Steiner, chair of the Green Party of Florida. "Democrats and Republicans have a 'gentlemen's agreement' to exempt
each other from election rules, while holding the rest of us to the letter of the law. Either we hold Democrats and
Republicans to the same rules as everyone else, or democracy and fair elections are a sham."
"Democratic and Republican election supervisors frequently use technicalities to keep Green Party candidates off the
ballot," said Susan Metz, Green candidate for State Assembly from the 57th District in Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Metz was
denied her ballot line despite having enough petition signatures because she filed the required certificate of
acceptance one business day late. She is challenging the decision.
Florida Democratic Party chair Scott Maddox defended his party's refusal to make an issue of Republicans' failure to
meet the deadline for presidential candidates: "To keep an incumbent president off the ballot in a swing state the size
of Florida because of a technicality, I just don't think would be right." (St. Petersburg Times, September 11, 2004)
Florida Green Party spokesperson Julia Aires expressed the anger of many Florida Greens: "If the Green Party or the
Reform Party had not gotten their names in by Sept. 1 and they said, 'You missed the deadline,' I don't think we'd have
a leg to stand on.... They would have kept us off the ballot on a technicality if they could have." (St. Petersburg
Times, September 11, 2004)
Greens said that the free pass given by Florida Democrats to Mr. Bush recalls Al Gore's refusal to demand a recount in
every county during the 2000 Florida election debacle and the failure of Florida Democrats to challenge Republican
election officials' disqualification of thousands of Florida voters, especially African Americans.
"Democrats have much more to fear from a 2004 Bush victory than from third party candidates," said Julia Aires.
"Apparently, Democratic politicians and officials would rather see Bush reelected than tolerate a ballot with candidates
outside the two major parties."
MORE INFORMATION
The Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
The Green Party of Florida http://www.floridagreens.org
Cobb/LaMarche 2004 http://www.votecobb.org
"Did Bush camp err on ballot papers? Democrats say the president may have missed Florida's filing deadline, but say they
don't plan a challenge." St. Petersburg Times, September 11, 2004 http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/11/Decision2004/Did_Bush_camp_err_on_.shtml
"Judge deals Florida ballot setback to Nader" St. Petersburg Times, September 10, 2004 http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/10/State/Judge_deals_Florida_b.shtml
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