Dear friends of open debates, The admittedly bi-partisan New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) just determined that they will exclude FIVE independent and third party candidates from their three upcoming gubernatorial debates. Their reason? These candidates didn't raise the $430,000 necessary to qualify for public financing by yesterday's deadline. There could not be a clearer example of the rigged political system. And this time we have five independent and third party candidates who will have an important stage -- the official ballot for governor -- to make the case why it's more critical than ever to open up our political process and discourse to more voices and more choices. We just launched a petition to NJ ELEC and over 20 debate hosts, sponsors, and media partners -- including the League of Women Voters of NJ (so much for their non-partisanship!). Because there are so many debate partners, this is an incredible opportunity to do a "proof of concept", forcing each of them -- including LWV of NJ, Rutgers University, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and over a dozen media organizations -- to publicly state why they are participating in such an anti-democratic farce. We can drive wedges, mobilize voters, and change the narrative about what we the people demand and deserve. But first things first. We need each of you to take two small steps to raise the profile of the citizen groundswell for open debates that is bubbling up beneath the surface: 1) SIGN the new petition to #OpenTheNJgovDebates at bit.ly/openNJgov 2) SHARE the new petition with all of your New Jersey friends and family. They will open up these debates, or we will do it for them.