[Peace-discuss] Prairie Greens Lose Suit Against Champaign County Clerk

[Ken Urban]

Hi all, here's the official release:

Ken


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, January 24

Prairie Greens Lose Suit Against Champaign County Clerk

Contact: Ken Urban, phone: 217-356-7987, e-mail: kenurban at kenurban.com 
Dale Strough, phone 815-432-4821 

In a summary of his decision, Judge Leonhard stated Champaign County
Clerk Mark Shelden was within his rights as County Clerk to reject the
Green Party Petitions and that the Green Party was not an established
party in Champaign County. Judge Leonhard will release his full decision
on Monday, January 26, at 9am.  The Greens will then make the decision
on how to proceed.  

In a press conference Friday, January 23, Ken Urban, plaintiff and Green
Party member, stated, "We respectfully disagree with this decision.  We
are determined to pursue this matter and will be speaking with our legal
team about our options."  Dale Strough commented, "Our government is
sending troops into Iraq to establish democracy, but we can't even get
on the ballot in Champaign County."  

The Green Party is committed and determined to be on the ballot for
Champaign County in 2004.  If that requires collecting signatures, the
Greens will do it. In addition to our legal options, the Greens are
preparing a for an extended signature campaign. 

Local Greens will be required to collect over 2700 signatures from
Champaign county, and will need well over 4000 to withstand challenges.
As a way of comparison, Dr. David Gill, running for United States
Congress collected 1100 signatures from 22 counties.  If Champaign
County were in Wisconsin or Minesota, we'd need only 500 signatures. In
Kentucky or Indiana, we'd need 1100 signatures. 

With the creation of gerrymandered districts, there is no competition
between parties for seats.  With no third parties and no competition,
government does not change, ideas are not challenged and people become
disillusioned.  People may vote, but it has no effect on who is running
government.  The creators and enforcers of these rules are the people
who have benefited from them.

The Prairie Green Party plans to continue its political agenda of
advocating Citizen Police Review Boards in Champaign-Urbana, opposing a
second reactor at Clinton, advocating and studying municipal power
options in Champaign-Urbana, protesting the war and occupation of Iraq,
and supporting local Green candidates.

The Prairie Greens are a local affiliate of the Illinois Green Party, an
accredited state party of the Green Party of the United States. For more
information on the Prairie Greens, visit http://www.prairiegreens.org. 

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