THE GREEN FLASH

OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE GREEN PARTY OF ARKANSAS

March 7, 2010

Volume 1, Number 42

Petitioning School Meets March 13

The Green Party of Arkansas will hold a petitioning school on Saturday, March 13, in the Little Rock Public Library at 1:00 pm. The event will be held in the East Room of the public library. Refreshments will be provided. This event will be the prelude to the GPA’s Ballot Access Drive (BAD) for 2010. The GPA is required by (an unconstitutional) law to collect 10,000 signatures of registered voters in order to have its candidates appear on the ballot in this year’s election. GPA does have a lawsuit filed in federal court to overturn the law; however, the suit will not be heard in time to prevent the GPA from having to at least start the BAD. GPA has the resources to successfully carry out the drive should the court case not be successful, and GPA has successfully obtained ballot access twice before by means of a BAD.

The Petition school will provide for both paid and volunteer petitioners the actual petitions, contracts, schedules, and instructions on the best way to obtain signatures on the GPA ballot access petition. This year’s school will mark the third major BAD for the GPA, and the party has gained a great deal of experience in the past years in gathering the required signatures. The previous experience will be valuable to the new petitioners and supporters. Schedules of outdoor festivals, both local and regional, will be made available and detailed plans for each petitioner will make it easier for the petitioner to gather the signatures.

Campaign School Pumps Up Candidates and Supporters

The GPA’s first ever Campaign School was a great success. Most of the GPA candidates attended as well as several supporters. The school was live streamed on the internet and Greens as far away as New York were also watching. Brent McMillian covered many topics of great interest to any candidate – including fundraising, doorknocking, dealing with the media, and speechmaking. Brent had the attending Greens cheering with enthusiasm, and each attendee was charged with energy by the time the school was over. The food was plentiful and good – thanks to Anita Wessling and Louise Montgomery and the music was fantastic thanks to Kelly and Donna from Still on the Hill, and Ken Adler, Green Party candidate for the first district.

State Refuses to Allow Ken Adler to File for the First District Congressional Seat

On Wednesday March 3, Ken Adler was not allowed to file for the Congressional seat from the First District in Arkansas. Rob Hammons representing the state told Adler that they had been told not to allow registration of Green Party candidates, because the party did not receive 3% of the vote for the Presidential candidate in the last election. The GPA has filed a lawsuit over the issue of the 3% rule.

Ballot Access Drive Set for Saturday, March 20th

The Green Party of Arkansas is set to start a Ballot Access Drive on Saturday March 20th. The drive will last until June 18. The goal of the drive is to collect at least 15,000 signatures, in the expectation that 10,000 of them will be certified so that the party can be placed on the ballot no matter what the outcome of our case.

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Donate to the Green Party of Arkansas!

YES! I will support the GPA with a donation of   $10 _____ $25_____ $50 ______ $100 ______ or write in your own amount $________.

YES! I will be a sustainer of the GPA with a regular monthly donation of   $10 _____ $25_____ 

$50 ______  $100 ______ or write in your own amount $________.

Mail cash, or check (made out to the Green Party of Arkansas) to (GPA Treasurer)

Mark Jenkins

3610 Lilac Terrace

Little Rock, AR 72202