FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2020
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Kevin Zeese, KZeese@HowieHawkins.us 301-996-6582
Robert Smith, Robert@HowieHawkins.us 304-707-2824
Howie Hawkins Files Suit Against Election Commission In Wisconsin Supreme Court For Ballot Access
Today, the Green Party campaign of Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker filed suit against the Wisconsin Elections Commission in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The suit filed by the Milwaukee law firm of von Briesen & Roper, s.c., asks the court to place Hawkins and Walker on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 general election.
Howie Hawkins said, “Thousands of voters in Wisconsin signed petitions to put the Green Party on the ballot. These voters want more choices than the Democratic and Republican Party. Our campaign stands with the majority of voters and calls for Medicare for all, a Green New Deal, taxes on the wealthy and an end to ongoing wars, and neither President Trump or former Vice President Biden supports those issues.”
Two thousand signatures are required to place candidates on the ballot. The Commission agreed that Hawkins/Walker submitted 1,789 valid signatures. In dispute were 1,834 more signatures where the staff of the Commission certified that they were qualified Wisconsin voters. The Commission voted 3-3 failing to sustain a challenge to the validity of those signatures. Under the law, those signatures should be presumed valid because the complaint filed by Allen Arnstein did not provide clear and convincing evidence that the petitions were invalid.
The issue in the case is around the address of Angela Walker, who said, “Throughout this process I lived in Florence, SC. My address in Florence changed, and the Commission has my current address.” The Hawkins/Walker campaign contacted the Commission for advice on how to proceed regarding Walker’s address and followed the Commission’s advice, submitting a statement of candidacy with the signatures with her current address.
“We hope the court will uphold the right of voters to vote for the Green Party since we submitted far more than enough valid signatures,” Hawkins said.
The suit asks for expedited action because the deadline for finalizing the ballot is rapidly approaching.
See Documents:
- Merida affidavit and exhibits
- Curtis affidavit and exhibits
- Cover letter to Clerk filing emergency petition
- Petition
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