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Why you should care

The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition in seeking more choices for all of us on Election Day. Current Pennsylvania law makes it difficult for independent and minor party candidates to appear on the ballot — much more difficult than in most other states. The result is less political competition, less political dialog, and fewer choices to vote for in November. The current system is simply not fair and does a great disservice to the ideal of democracy and to the voters. What you can do about it.

The trainwreck of 2006

In 2006, independent and minor party candidates were required to collect over 67,000 valid signatures simply to get on the state-wide ballot in Pennsylvania on Election Day. Legally, Democratic and Republican candidates require no signatures to get on the state-wide ballot, and even the 2,000 signatures required for the Primary Day ballot are ridiculously smaller than the virtually impossible hurdle of 67,000.

The solution

Pennsylvania law needs to be changed by the State Legislature to lower the outrageous signature requirements. The Coalition has drafted a Voters' Choice Act and is seeking sponsorship of it in the General Assembly.

Harrisburg legislators asked to declare their position on the Voters' Choice Act

Oct 31, 2005    Two weeks ago, we hand-delivered a copy of the Voters' Choice Act to every state representative and legislator. Starting last week, members of all of the third parties in our Coalition began calling them to ask if they received it, and if they would sponsor or support it.

Today, we faxed every legislator a questionnaire which asked them to choose one of the following:

  1. I will introduce or co-sponsor the VCA.
  2. I will vote for the VCA.
  3. I do not believe in free and equal elections.

Contact your legislators now to ask them to support the VCA.

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