Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The state's American Civil Liberties Union affiliate is suing the state, charging Rhode Island's laws on new political parties are unconstitutional.

The suit is being filed in federal court on behalf of Kenneth Block and the Moderate Party of Rhode Island. The suit claims that state laws saying new parties can't start collecting signatures to qualify for a spot on the ballot in a non-election year unfairly limits the Moderate Party's ability to organize and raise funds.

Signatures are important because in order for the new party to get candidates on the 2010 ballot it must present signatures representing 5 percent of the voter turnout from the 2008 election, or about 23,500 registered voters, and under existing law, the Moderate Party must wait until Jan. 1, 2010, to start collecting them.

"Having to collect the required number of signatures in the limited time window permitted by law, and not being able to commence that process until Jan. 1, 2010, creates an arbitrary, unjustifiable and ultimately impermissible burden that make the ask far more difficult to accomplish," the suit states.

 Tags  American Civil Liberties Union Moderate Party of Rhode Island

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