Arizona is working toward ballot status and has until March 6th to turn in 20,449 good signatures. Petition gatherers have already collected approximately 10,000 and need at least 16-18,000 more to provide a cushion against contested signatures. Arizona has begun using professional signature gatherers and needs help with funding to pay these professionals. National Green Party has supported this process with donations requiring Arizona to match the funds. You can donate to the Arizona Green Party by sending a check to: P.O. Box 60173, Phoenix, AZ 85082-0173.
Richard Scott, one of the Coordinators of the Arizona drive says, "We can make this goal but it will take cooperation and help from Greens around the country to help raise the funds we need to get the job done. We have some petition gatherers from out of state coming to help but that takes time and coordination - guest gatherers must have a local with them when they petition. Donations will help us more easily attain our goal. I project that we can get this job completed for under $15,000 and we have approximately half that now - so please help - send us a check now - we can do this."
Ballot drives are also underway in Utah - Feb 15 - 2000 signatures, Hawai'i - Apr 3 - 663 signatures, North Carolina - May 16 - 69,734 signatures (in court - we're hoping for a favorable ruling this week and Texas - May 27 - 43,991 signatures. Green Line will be covering these and all ballot access efforts as they develop. To find out how to support Green Party Ballot Access go to: http://www.gp.org/committees/ballot/
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STATUS OF DRIVE
Arizona has collected about half of the 22,000 signatures
legally needed, about a third of the number they really need
to collect to win. The deadline is March 6.
This is still doable, if we can get people to help and get
the momentum going. Most of our successful ballot access
drives have achieved most of their signatures in the last
few weeks of the campaign.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Arizona's and Texas' ballot access battles will likely set
the stage for Green Party ballot access nationwide this
year. If the Green Party fails to win these two ballots, its
presidential candidate will have far less credibility in the
race, and morale for other ballot access campaigns will be
lost.
This year's presidential race is an opportunity for
anti-war, people-over-corporations politics that we haven't
seen in over a decade -- where the "Anyone But" arguments
are less of a threat, since there is no diabolical Bush as a
front runner and since there are other possibilities of
independent candidates who are neither Nader nor Green to
open up the race more. (Also, of course, because the
front-running Democrats have voted for war funding and are
pro-corporate, but that was the case in 2004 as well.) A
Green candidate needs to get on as many ballot lines as
possible in order to be taken at all seriously. Losing this
fight would be like turning down the volume on our political
voice in this country at a time when the Green Party message
is so needed.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Arizona Greens will provide places for volunteer petitioners
to stay, meals, and transportation within town. Non-Arizona
petitioners will work in partnership with an Arizonan Green.
(Non-Arizonans can hold petitions and ask for the
signatures, but an Arizonan Green has to be within eyesight
and earshot for the signatures to be legal.)
* If you have some money but no time to travel to Arizona
and petition, then we ask that you volunteer to pay for a
plane ticket or half a plane ticket for someone else to go.
Let Claudia know (contact info below), and we'll use your
money to give Arizona another petitioner.
* If you could petition but can't afford to get to Tucson or
Phoenix on your own, let Claudia know (contact info below)
and we will work on getting you a plane ticket.
* Also, please help with recruitment to and coordination of
these efforts. Please re-post this appeal to your local
listservs. But email is not enough. Please also phone people
you know are good petitioners or who could afford some time
or some money and crunch them to contribute it now.
THE TIME IS NOW
Previous appeals have all received sincere expressions of
support but little actual help. Now is the time to act to
help the Green Party achieve ballot access in Arizona. Below
is a schedule of key events, when petitioning will be most
effective. I myself will be in Arizona the 23rd through the
28th.
Thanks for anything you can do.
Sincerely,
Cat Woods
California GPUS delegate
CONTACT INFO FOR ARIZONA PETITION DRIVE:
Claudia Ellquist
520.622.3339
ellquist.co.atty@juno.com
BALLOT ACCESS LINKS:
GPUS Ballot Access Committee
http://www.gp.org/committees/ballot/
Ballot Access News
http://www.ballot-access.org/
Green Party of Arizona
http://www.azgp.org/
Gren Party of Texas
http://txgreens.org/drupal/
TIMES/PLACES TO PETITION IN ARIZONA:
Now until February 14, 15 [10-6pm], &17 [10-5pm], Tucson Gem
& Mineral Show, TCC
Thursday Feb 21, Rodeo Parade. Parade starts at 9am, vols
should be there at 7am.
February, 23, 11am-5pm Peace Fair, Reid Park Bandshell. A
few hundred, and we've hit this crowd, but there are always
some new folks.
Other events:
Februay 1-3, play, "Defending the Caveman," Leo Rich Theatre
Februay 2 [7:30pm] Charlie King Concert, UU church, 4831 E
22d [6pm, free dinner]
Februay 2&3 AZ Opera "Gems" TMH
Feb 2, First Saturday Arts Walk, Prescott
Feb 3, Festival of Hope rally [anti-torture], downtown
Feb 4, morning, rally at fed courthouse, re trial of
protestors
Februay 6 -10, 10am-5pm, Arts Festival, TUBAC
Februay 7-10, TSymphonyOrch, TMH
February 8 Battle of the Bands, downtown
Februay 8, 9, musical "Bark," TMA
Februay 9 [1pm] Dan Zanes, Rialto
Februay 9 [8pm] St Pertersburg Ballet, "Giselle" Crowder
Februay 9-deadline, weekends, 10-6pm, Society of Creative
Anarchronist, Apache Junction
Februay 10- Mach 2, play, "Miracle Worker," UA Marroney
Theatre
Februay 11, George Clinton, Rialto
Februay 12, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Rialto
Februay 16, Roger Clyne & Peacemakers, Rialto
Februay 23, Parada del Sol, [rodeo parade] Scottsdale,
scottsdalejaycees.org
Februay 19-24, play, "Spelling Bee," TMH
Februay 20 [7pm] "Say Goodnight Gracie", Berger
Februay 21 Filmed opera, "LaTraviata," Fox
Februay 23 Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Rialto
Feb 29-March 2, WorldFest, Margaret Hance Park, 2d
St/Moreland. PHX
March 1-2 Localto Global Teach-in, AZU [Farmer Ed Bldg]
March 2 [1pm] All Faiths/Muslim Jewish Peace Walk, Islamic
Center of
Tucson
Tuesdays [8am-noon] CommFoodBank Farmer's Market
Thursdays [10-11am] 17th St Market;
[noon] Lunchtime at La Placita Plaza concerts;
[3-6pm] Santa Cruz Farmer's Market
Saturdays [11:30-3:30] 17th St Market
Always, in front of the Wilmot Library and the downtown
library, and along 4th Avenue shops, and on the stoop at the
big bookstores, and the video rental places.
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