Nader florida battle

[Dan Scanlan <dscanlan@xxxxxxx>]

Senator McCain Urges Nader Ballot Access in Florida

Tomorrow the Nader/Camejo campaign will be in court in Arkansas,
Colorado, New Mexico, and Florida as the Democrats continue their
desperate and despotic attempts to remove Ralph Nader and Peter
Miguel Camejo from the ballot.

The Nader/Camejo campaign appreciates the support of Senator John
McCain and the non-partisan Reform Institute for urging our inclusion
on the ballot in Florida. Senator McCain knows firsthand what it is
like to have a major party attempt to keep a candidate off the
ballot-as the Republicans did to him in New York in 2000. Below is
the statement of the Reform Institute and Senator John McCain.

Theresa Amato
Nader/Camejo 2004 Campaign Manager



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2004
Trevor Potter
202.862.5092

The Reform Institute-a nonpartisan election reform organization
chaired by Senator John McCain (R-AZ)-today urged the Florida Supreme
Court to allow Reform Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader on the
state's election ballot and announced its intention to join any
future legal efforts to achieve that result.

A Florida state judge, claiming that the Reform Party is no longer a
legitimate national political party, ruled this week that Nader's
name cannot appear on the state's ballot in November. The Florida
high court is set to review that decision on Friday, September 17.

"I believe it would be a mistake to let a set of inequitable ballot
rules keep a legitimate presidential candidate off the ballot,"
McCain said. "These obstacles discourage public participation in
elections by denying voters the right to vote for their preferred
candidate. Keeping Nader off the ballot in the hope that his voters
will be forced to support another candidate is patently unfair to
those Floridians who, for whatever reason, have decided he's their
man."

The Reform Institute will likely participate as amicus, or "a friend
of the court," on behalf of Mr. Nader if he chooses to appeal the
ultimate state court decision in federal court. Trevor Potter-the
Institute's general counsel and a former FEC Chairman and
Commissioner-will represent the group in any court action.

The Institute works to increase citizen participation in democracy by
lowering the substantial barriers that often stand in their way.
Chief among those barriers are state ballot requirements that
discourage participation by minor party candidates and consequently
limit voter choice. On December 9, 2003, the Institute released a
comprehensive 50-state study documenting the challenges faced by
presidential candidates trying to get their name on state ballots. To
view the full report, go to the Institute's website at
http://reforminstitute.org/cgi-data/issues/files/4.shtml.

To read an opinion piece by Reform Institute President Richard Davis
published in April, 2004 in the Portland Oregonian entitled "Enact
Fair Rules for Ballot Access," please visit
http://reforminstitute.org/cgi-data/article/files/182.shtml.

The Reform Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational
organization representing an independent, thoughtful voice for reform
in the campaign finance and election administration debates. Visit
the Institute at www.reforminstitute.org.

Cecilia I. Martinez
Executive Director
Reform Institute, Inc.
211 N. Union Street, #250
Alexandria, Va 22314
703.535.6897 ext. 2
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Nobody but Nader.
Write In is Right On.
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