Libertarians and Greens Join Forces to Defeat SB 193 Ban On Tuesday evening, October 22, Libertarian Party of Ohio Political Director Bob Bridges met in Westerville with Bob Hart of the Green Party of Ohio to discuss how the two parties can work together against SB 193. The two party leaders discussed what they can agree on, and what changes need to be made to the proposed law to make it fair to alternative parties and to all of Ohios voters. Bridges and Hart agreed that as written SB 193 operates as a ban on third parties and appears designed to eliminate both parties from contending in Ohio’s 2014 statewide elections. Notably SB 193 has been declared an “emergency bill” and voids existing Secretary of State Directives, thus resulting upon passage in an immediate ban on party activities and third party candidates already qualified and campaigning for 2014. SB 193 would reinstitute most of the features of Ohio ballot access laws that have already been struck down as unconstitutional more than once in the courts. The bill passed the Ohio Senate recently by a vote almost strictly along party lines and now is pending in the House. By reimposing impossibly high party formation and maintenance standards SB 193 makes it more difficult and more costly for alternative parties such as the Libertarians and Greens, to challenge the 150-year-old stranglehold the Democrats and Republicans have on state government. Only one Senate Republican joined with Democrats in voting “no” on this bill, which LPO leaders have characterized as the “John Kasich Reelection Protection Act.” Coincidentally or not, Cincinnati Republican Bill Seitz introduced the bill on the very day that Libertarian Charlie Earl formally began his campaign to challenge the embattled Republican governor. “It is absolutely clear that the Republican Party believes that the growing voter support for the Libertarian Party poses a direct challenge to Kasich in the 2014 Governor’s race and that it is this fact that constitutes the so-called emergency driving the attempt to ban our party” said Earl. Hart, a Green Party Candidate for U.S. Congress in the 12th district, noted that “SB 193 is a direct attack by the major parties on democracy at a time when Ohio voters are showing increasing support for third parties and are demanding more choices at the ballot box not fewer.” “What has to happen is that the legislation as it currently stands must be struck down,” Bridges said. “Then, all of the political parties, big and small, must sit down together to craft a law that makes it easier, not harder, for citizens of Ohio to organize minor political parties. Together, we can write a law that is fair to all parties and protects the right of Ohio voters to have a broad range of options on their ballot.” Both the Libertarian and Green Parties are currently recognized minor political parties in Ohio with sitting elected officials, functioning central committees and declared candidates campaigning in both the 2013 and 2014 elections. Hart and Bridges noted that they are aware of no other state where the ruling major parties have banned minor political parties by legislative fiat. Hart, an attorney, noted that “Neither the sponsor of this bill nor any member of the Senate or House have been able to articulate any compelling justification for SB 193 and I expect any reviewing court to take a very dim view of this undemocratic act.” Bridges agreed noting the necessity of coordinated action, “We must make a common cause on this threat to all of the alternative parties and the voters.” For more information contact Libertarian Bob Bridges at (614) 599-9492 Or Green Bob Hart at (614) 985-0401
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 02:49:41 +0000
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