For the first time since 2008, the Green Party has qualified for the general election ballot in Nevada, potentially influencing the presidential race by drawing votes from disillusioned left-leaning supporters of President Joe Biden.
However, its ballot access remains in question as a lawsuit filed by Nevada Democrats to block the Green Party’s inclusion is still pending in Carson City District Court. Last week, Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar announced that the Green Party had submitted approximately 15,000 valid signatures, surpassing the roughly 10,000 required for minor political parties to qualify for the general election ballot. This development introduces a new dynamic to the presidential race, as the Green Party’s candidate, Jill Stein, who also ran in 2012 and 2016, could attract voters dissatisfied with the Democratic Party.
The Nevada Democratic Party has challenged the validity of the signatures, arguing that many were invalid. After a limited review via a public records request, the Democrats’ lawsuit contends that some of the submitted signatures were not legitimate.
They have asked the Carson City court to invalidate the signatures and prevent the Secretary of State’s office from approving the Green Party’s petition. A hearing on the lawsuit is set for later this month.
The Democrats allege signature collections began before the petition was officially approved, and some affidavits were modified to change the petition circulator’s county. Their claims are set for review in the upcoming court hearing to determine their validity.
The Green Party’s successful signature campaign saw nearly 30,000 submissions, of which around half were deemed invalid. In 2016, a federal judge denied the Green Party ballot access after failing to gather enough valid signatures in the allotted time.
The Green Party’s return to the ballot could be impactful, particularly in tight races. In the 2022 U.S. Senate race, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto won by fewer than 8,000 votes. In the 2020 presidential race, Biden won Nevada by around 34,000 votes. A third-party candidate like Stein could shift the balance in closely contested elections.
Meanwhile, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is also working to secure a spot on the Nevada ballot. He must gather at least 10,095 signatures by Friday, July 5, for election officials to begin the verification process. It marks Kennedy’s third attempt to gain ballot access, following previous challenges related to procedural errors.
Nothing pisses people off more in politics than to be cheated out of a chance to chose the candidate of their liking.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
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