What could possibly bring together such diverse groups as Libertarians, Greens, and Independents, along with members of the Constitution, Reform, and other smaller parties?

Simple: they all want (and deserve) the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to the political life of this Commonwealth, and they are all hampered in doing so by Pennsylvania’s antiquated and anti-democratic ballot access rules.

These rules enforce a great injustice that currently exists. Democratic and Republican candidates need only a couple of thousand signatures to qualify for the ballot, while independents or candidates of other parties must gather anywhere from 25,000-70,000 signatures statewide!

Fortunately, legislation has been introduced to rectify this situation. The “Voters’ Choice Act,” introduced by Sen. Mike Follmer, would change the definition of a party so that party status could be based on voter registration, and make the signature threshold for candidates much more consistent and fair. Improved ballot access would mean more choices for PA citizens – and that means a better, more robust, and more responsive democracy. This legislation would also eliminate the need for costly signature-challenge lawsuits that waste government employees’ time and taxpayers’ money.

Please contact your local State Senator’s office, and ask your Senator to co-sponsor the Voters’ Choice Act. For more information, visit the PA Ballot Access Coalition website at www.paballotaccess.org.