SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – The Common Sense Party has sued California, arguing that its requirements for new parties can’t be met during the coronavirus pandemic.
The lawsuit filed May 29 wants a Sacramento federal judge to declare those requirements unconstitutional as it seeks to put candidates on the general election ballot.
Specifically, the party says it can’t gather signatures of one-third of 1% of registered voters in the state to become a recognized political party. It would need 68,000 voter registrations.
“The social distancing rules substantially hinder Plaintiffs’ ability to obtain the requisite number of voter registrations in order to qualify the Common Sense Party for the November 2020 Presidential election ballot because… in-person registration gathering is by far the most effect way to engage with voters about changing their party affiliation, and the only cost-effective way to obtain voter registrations,” the lawsuit says.