Legal Marijuana Now Party loses major status with Minnesota Supreme Court ruling

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court on Friday booted the Legal Marijuana Now Party as a major political party in the state.

The court’s decision means Democrats and Republicans will be the only political players to have automatic ballot access for candidates, as well as other major party benefits, such as legal protection and public subsidy dollars, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

“LMNP will appeal Friday’s ruling by the state Supreme Court that attempts to decertify the party, and the U.S. Supreme Court will likely find Minnesota’s DFL-written election law to be unconstitutional,” Legal Marijuana Now MN said in a Facebook post Friday.

In February, the chair of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party asked the court to decertify the Legal Marijuana Now Party, alleging it hasn’t met legal requirements to be a major party, according to the opinion.

Because the party “did not maintain a state central committee subject to the state convention’s control,” as state law requires, and the party’s constitutional challenge to the law failed, the Legal Marijuana Now Party “has not satisfied the requirements to be a major political party” in the state, according to the court’s decision.

In a statement, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon’s office said the party will need to a file a notice “that it met the requirements to be listed as a minor political party.” Candidates for the Legal Marijuana Now Party may still appear on the November ballot if they gather enough petition signatures, varying by amount for various races, his office said.