I'm on the ballot!
After finally turning in my signatures yesterday after many months of hard work, I was informed today by the Washtenaw County Clerk's office that my campaign for 53rd District State Representative will be on the ballot this November. I will be the only candidate on the ballot challenging the candidate of the Democratic Party! The press release is below.
Socialist Candidate to Appear on the Ballot for 53rd District State Representative (Ann Arbor).
ANN ARBOR - After turning in just under one-thousand signatures from Ann Arbor voters, Matt Erard,
Socialist Party candidate for 53rd District State Representative, was informed by the Washtenaw County
Clerk's office on July 19th that his name will be printed on the November general election ballot.
"Whether or not we win the election in November, the fact that Ann Arbor voters will have a Socialist
alternative on the ballot is a victory in and of itself" Erard said.
Michigan's undemocratic ballot access laws designed by the Democrats and Republicans have prevented the
Socialist Party from achieving ballot access in Michigan; forcing Erard and campaign volunteers to
spend months petitioning to get his name on the ballot despite his nomination from the Socialist Party.
Erard's name will be listed on the ballot as a candidate with "No Party Affiliation" due to the fact that Michigan is among a minority of states that doesnot allow candidates from parties without ballot access to designate a party name on the ballot once they have qualified as independents.
Since no Republican or other third party or independent candidate has qualified to run in this race, Erard will be the only candidate on the ballot challenging the winner of the August 8th Democratic Primary. Although Erard noted that Ann Arbor has historically been an overwhelmingly Democratic city, he argued that rampant capitulation and participation by the Democratic Party in recent years in war mongering and attacks on democratic and economic rights have caused widespread disillusionment with the Democratic Party among progressive voters and increased recognition of its status as a corporate appendage.
"Voters in the 53rd District this November will have a choice between a working people's candidate and a candidate who is completely beholden to the corporate elite. This is a race that we can win" Erard said.
Socialist Candidate to Appear on the Ballot for 53rd District State Representative (Ann Arbor).
ANN ARBOR - After turning in just under one-thousand signatures from Ann Arbor voters, Matt Erard,
Socialist Party candidate for 53rd District State Representative, was informed by the Washtenaw County
Clerk's office on July 19th that his name will be printed on the November general election ballot.
"Whether or not we win the election in November, the fact that Ann Arbor voters will have a Socialist
alternative on the ballot is a victory in and of itself" Erard said.
Michigan's undemocratic ballot access laws designed by the Democrats and Republicans have prevented the
Socialist Party from achieving ballot access in Michigan; forcing Erard and campaign volunteers to
spend months petitioning to get his name on the ballot despite his nomination from the Socialist Party.
Erard's name will be listed on the ballot as a candidate with "No Party Affiliation" due to the fact that Michigan is among a minority of states that doesnot allow candidates from parties without ballot access to designate a party name on the ballot once they have qualified as independents.
Since no Republican or other third party or independent candidate has qualified to run in this race, Erard will be the only candidate on the ballot challenging the winner of the August 8th Democratic Primary. Although Erard noted that Ann Arbor has historically been an overwhelmingly Democratic city, he argued that rampant capitulation and participation by the Democratic Party in recent years in war mongering and attacks on democratic and economic rights have caused widespread disillusionment with the Democratic Party among progressive voters and increased recognition of its status as a corporate appendage.
"Voters in the 53rd District this November will have a choice between a working people's candidate and a candidate who is completely beholden to the corporate elite. This is a race that we can win" Erard said.