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POLITICS


DFL PARTY PETITIONS COURT TO UNDO MAJOR PARTY STATUS FOR MINNESOTA'S LEGAL
MARIJUANA NOW PARTY


Supporters of legalizing marijuana rallied at the State Capitol in 2017.

— Star Tribune

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By Briana Bierschbach , Star Tribune
February 07, 2024 - 9:50 AM


See more of the story

The Minnesota DFL has filed a petition with the state Supreme Court seeking to
strip the Legal Marijuana Now Party of its major party status after a new state
law raised the bar for major parties in the state.

The petition, filed by the state party on Tuesday, alleges the Legal Marijuana
Now Party failed to hold the required number of conventions in 2022 to be a
major party and didn't meet leadership requirements across the state. The court
can issue a declaration that they did not meet the requirements outlined in
state law.



Under a law passed by the DFL Legislature this spring, parties must submit a
list of dates and locations of every convention held in 2022 in all
congressional districts and in at least 45 county or legislative districts to
maintain their major party status. Law also requires them to have a local chair
and party officers as needed in each of Minnesota's eight congressional
districts and in least 45 county or legislative districts. The DFL Party says
the Legal Marijuana Now Party didn't meet either requirement.

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"Every major party is expected to demonstrate that they are a serious
organization by building their party and engaging voters in dozens of districts
across Minnesota," DFL Party Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. "The
Minnesota DFL and the Minnesota GOP are the only two political parties that meet
that threshold."

The Legalize Marijuana Now Party did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.

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The Minnesota Secretary of State's office rejected their major party status
certification twice for failing to meet these requirements, according to the
DFL. Their certification was approved on the third attempt after the Legal
Marijuana Now Party claimed to have held 76 conventions all on the same day
within the same hour.

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"Its assertion in its certification to the Secretary of State that it conducted
75 congressional district and local conventions — along with its state
convention — on a single day in-person and via Zoom is implausible," read the
petition.

Previously, a party could achieve major party status by maintaining a party
organization and having at least one statewide candidate on the general election
ballot who got at least 5% of the vote. They could also meet that requirement by
recruiting a minimum number of candidates for the Legislature, Congress and
statewide offices. Democrats raised the threshold to 8% of the vote in elections
starting this fall.

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The Legal Marijuana Now Party, which has been a major party since 2018, met the
5% threshold in the 2022 election. The Grassroots Legalize Cannabis Party
recently lost its major party status.

In its petition to the court, the DFL also criticized the Legal Marijuana Now
Party for putting the name of Colorado resident Krystal Gabel on their
presidential nominating ballot without her consent.

Democrats have been critical of the state's two marijuana parties in past
elections, alleging that Republicans recruited candidates to run under their
party banner. In several of those close races, Democrats said the marijuana
party pulled enough votes from their candidates to hand Republicans victory.

Martin said Democrats were the ones who successfully pushed to legalize cannabis
for adults in the last legislative session.

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"Fortunately, there is a major political party for legalization supporters," he
said. "The party that actually legalized cannabis, the Minnesota DFL."


































Briana Bierschbach is a politics and government reporter for the Star Tribune.
briana.bierschbach@startribune.com
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