After months of court cases regarding the validity of ballot petition signatures, the North Carolina Green Party is finally granted ballot access for the 2022 Midterms.
U.S. District Court Judge James C. Devers upheld a ruling by the NC Board Of Elections on Friday to certify the Green Party. The NC Democratic Party intended to sue to prevent the candidates from running, but the issue has become moot following the federal judges ruling. Barring the candidates not filing by Wednesday, they are guaranteed to be on the ballot come November.
In addition to Senate Candidate Matthew Hoh, the party will also be running Party Secretary Michael Trudeau in the 16th State Senate District.
UPDATE: Despite the finality originally reported, the NC Democrats moved forward with an attempted appeal. Which failed on August 10th, this keeping the Greens on the ballot.
Lack of competition in races is why this country is as screwed up as it is. Even though I couldn’t see casting a vote for a Green candidate, (or a Democrat or Republican), this is absolutely great! The Dems and Reps aren’t different enough that it even makes a difference. NC could use a shakeup like a Green win. As messed up as NC is under Team Red rule, it couldn’t be worse with Greens in the mix.
The Democratic Party has asked the 4th circuit to remove the Green Party candidates.
Austin, why? Why would the Greens accept that? And, in a possibly tight NC state lege, would the Dems offer even that?
North Carolina, like many states, predicates third-party ballot access based on results in a statewide race.
Why do that, when they can just, NOT have them run at all…
The NC Democratic Party ought to have offered to make a deal with the Greens rather than trying to hardball them off the ballot entirely. Perhaps, in exchange for not running a candidate in the U.S. Senate race, the Democrats could offer to “stand aside” in a safe state house district. Great deal for the Greens that would give them an actual seat at the table in the state legislature.