CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY) – In just one day voters will no longer be able to register as a member of the Green Party or the Constitution Party. Under North Carolina law these newer political parties have until June 12 to file the necessary signatures to keep their voter affiliation.
“It’s definitely stacked against us,” said Jacob Samuels, Co-Chair of the Charlotte Green Party. “We are a grassroots left-wing party. We were founded on the principles of social justice, grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom, and non-violence.”
These newer political parties need to file 13,865 signatures of registered voters to keep their voter affiliation.
“There’s no way we’ll be able to get that many signatures by that deadline,” Samuels sighed, “Unless a miracle happens.”
Currently, the Green Party has filed a total of 7 signatures. After Saturday, all of Samuel’s fellow Green Party voters will get a letter in the mail saying they are now registered as unaffiliated with a political party. But Samuels said they have a plan to get their voters back.
“We’re going to try to gather as many signatures as we can, and try to submit them for next year’s filing date for the midterms.”
Karen Bell, the executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, said June 12 won’t be the end of these parties.
“Fortunately, you know, I think it’s probably an achievable goal, as we head into 2022, and they, you know, work to be on the ballot again,” Bell said.
Samuels said it was particularly difficult to get signatures, thanks to the pandemic.
FOX 46 reached out to the Constitution Party and did not hear back. According to the Board of Elections website, they have filed about 2,835 signatures. If they file another 11,030 by Saturday they will be able to keep their voter affiliation.
