Once the election results are certified, the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow party expects to be official again, now that two of its three statewide candidates passed a voter threshold.
The Green-Rainbows are currently only a political designation, not a political party. They had major party status in 2016 when their candidate Jill Stein ran for president. They lost it after Stein received just 1.4 percent of the state vote.
Not having party status made it harder for Greens to campaign, said Juan Sanchez, who ran for Secretary of State this year.
“You don't get access to the voter rolls, you don't get invited to different fundraisers and debates and things of that nature,” Sanchez said.
In this year’s election, Sanchez earned almost 4 percent of the state’s vote, which is enough to get party recognition.
That allows the Green-Rainbows to hold a primary election in 2020 and gives the party's nominee a place on the Massachusetts ballot for the presidential general election.
Voters will also see Green-Rainbow listed as a political party when they register instead of having to write it in as they do now.