ST PAUL, Minn. — The DFL Party filed a petition on Tuesday with the Minnesota Supreme Court seeking to take away the major party status of the Legal Marijuana Now Party.
DFL officials said the Legal Marijuana Now Party did not meet the requirements of a new state law that raised the bar to achieve major party status in Minnesota, according to court documents.
New requirements that took effect in 2024 call for major parties to have held a convention in 2022 for every congressional district and at least 45 county or legislative districts. Major parties must also have an executive committee consisting of a chair and officers for each congressional district and at least 45 county or legislative districts. They must also have obtained sufficient support from the voters in prior elections, according to the DFL news release.
In November, the Legal Marijuana Now Party filed for a major party status certification twice but the Secretary of State's office rejected both letters, according to the DFL.
Later that month, a third letter was sent to the Secretary of State's office that included an "addendum" and it was "a list of the party's 2022 conventions," according to court documents.
The DFL release stated: "After these two failed attempts, the Legal Marijuana Now Party resubmitted its certifications, claiming – implausibly – that they had held 76 conventions all on the same day during a one-hour window on June 8, from 8-9 pm."
DFL Chairman Ken Martin said in the news release that the "Minnesota DFL and the Minnesota GOP are the only two political parties that meet that threshold. But fortunately, there is a major political party for legalization supporters – the party that actually legalized cannabis, the Minnesota DFL."
So far, the Legal Marijuana Now Party has not issued a statement.
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