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SALT LAKE CITY — When Utahns receive their ballots for the 2024 and 2026 elections, they'll see an additional party on there: the Green Party.
The Green Party of Utah announced in a press release that the party received notification from the Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office that it achieved ballot access. To achieve ballot access, 2,000 registered voter signatures were required.
This means that the Green Party of Utah is recognized as a political party in Utah. Starting in 2024, Utahns will be able to register as a member of the party and the Green Party of Utah will appear on 2024 and 2026 ballots.
"We are thrilled to hear this news, and believe this is a step forward for democracy in Utah as we offer voters not just more choices, but better choices than those presented by the political duopoly of the Democratic and Republican parties," Dee Taylor, interim chair of the Green Party of Utah, said. "This represents the better part of about six month's worth of work during which we have had earnest conversations about Utah's choices with many voters in our state who are very eager for change."
"We have worked hard to achieve this goal and are now ready to move forward to provide Utah voters the choices they deserve in the Utah political arena," Russell Wagstaff, a member of the Green Party of Utah, said.
What is the Green Party of Utah?
The Green Party of Utah describes itself as having four pillars: social justice, ecology, nonviolence and grassroots democracy.
On the Green Party of Utah's website, it lists its "mini platform" as diversity, nonviolence, egalitarianism, immigration, tribal sovereignty, ecological wisdom, accessibility, fair trade, prison reform, election reform and single-payer health care.
"Greens are grassroots activists, environmentalists, advocates for social justice, nonviolent resisters and regular citizens who've had enough of corporate-dominated politics," the website says. "Government must be part of the solution, but when it's controlled by the 1%, it's part of the problem."
