[Peace-discuss] call for support

[Tom Mackaman]

Dear Friends,
           
          I'm writing to ask  if you'd be willing to write a brief e-mail statement to the Illinois  State Board of Elections, demanding that they place Joe Parnarauskis,  who is running for the Socialist Equality Party, on the ballot for  State Senate in Illinois' 52nd District.  
           
          Parnarauskis  and his supporters gathered nearly 5,000 signatures to put his name on  the ballot--far more than the 2,985 required by the restrictive  Illinois state law that is meant to bar, rather than encourage, 3rd  party participation.  
           
          Since  submitting those signatures, the Socialist Equality Party has been  engaged in time-consuming and costly struggle against the Democratic  Party of Illinois, which has attempted to invalidate enough signatures  to disqualify Parnarauskis from the ballot.  The Democratic Party is  simultaneously attempting to remove the entire statewide slate of the  Green Party from the ballot.  
           
          The  Illinois State Board of Elections will make a decision on the case by  August 31st.  We have no illusions in this body.  It is comprised of  four Democratic and four Republican political appointees.  They have a  vested interest in defending the two party monopoly over elections.   Nonetheless, in since the Socialist Equality Party has sufficient  signatures, we believe we are in a strong position.  
           
          We also believe that the State Board of Elections is  more likely to make a fair ruling if they know they are being  watched.  
           
          That is why we are asking for e-mail notes demanding Parnarauskis be placed on the ballot.  
           
              Please send  letters of protest demanding that it place SEP candidate Joe  Parnarauskis on the ballot. Emails can be sent to the Illinois State  Board of Elections at webmaster at elections.state.il.us. Please send copies of all messages to the WSWS. (World Socialist Web Site).
  
  Some examples of letters written in, several by University of Illinois  faculty, can be read via the following link:  http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/lett-a26.shtml.
  
  There are a number of very important questions that hinge on this  struggle.  Without free and open elections, democracy has no meaning.   It is also the case that the Democrats and Republicans wish to avoid a  public discussion of a number of uncomfortable topics, above all else  the war in Iraq.
           
          I  sincerely thank you for your consideration and help on this matter.   Feel free to share this e-mail with others who might be interested. 
  
           
           
          Best regards,
           
          Tom Mackaman
          Students for Social Equality, University of   Illinois
  
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