Ellis/Andrews Campaign Endorses HB 101, Calls for Open Debates on Public Television
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 12, 2026
CONTACT: Andy Ellis andy@gogreen2026.com
BALTIMORE — Green Party gubernatorial candidate Andy Ellis and running mate Owen Silverman Andrews today announced their support for House Bill 101, legislation that would require Maryland Public Television and other state-funded broadcasters to include all ballot-certified candidates in general election debates.
The bill, sponsored by Delegate Gary Simmons (D-Anne Arundel), has its first reading in the House on January 14 and has been assigned to the Government, Labor, and Elections and Appropriations committees. Filed as an emergency measure, HB 101 would take effect immediately upon passage.
"If you're on the ballot, you should be on the debate stage," said Ellis. "This bill is simple and fair. Maryland voters deserve to hear from every candidate who will appear on their ballot, not just the two candidates the major parties have chosen for them."
Under current practice, Maryland Public Television uses a 10% polling threshold and other arbitrary criteria to determine debate eligibility. No third-party candidate in Maryland history has ever met that threshold. HB 101 would require that a public broadcaster that holds a debate between candidates for statewide office to invite all candidates who are certified to the ballot in the general election.
The bill applies only to general election debates. It does not affect primary debates, does not require broadcasters to host debates, and excludes write-in candidates and those who have suspended their campaigns. Broadcasters that violate the requirements would lose state funding for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Ellis, a nationally recognized debate educator who coached Towson University to its first national championship in 2008, called the reform essential to democratic accountability.
"Debates are civic infrastructure," Ellis said. "They're one of the only times voters see candidates side by side, comparing values and priorities in real time. When publicly funded broadcasters exclude legally qualified candidates, they deny voters the information they need to make informed choices."
A recent UMBC Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement poll found that nearly half of Maryland voters believe the state is on the wrong track. The same poll showed 46% of voters would consider supporting a candidate outside their usual party.
Lt. Governor candidate Owen Silverman Andrews emphasized the connection to the campaign's broader message about democratic reform.
"Maryland taxpayers fund public broadcasting to serve the public interest," Andrews said. "As a teacher, it’s concerning that MPT limits important information about independent and third party candidates by excluding us from their debates. This bill solves that problem by refocusing MPT on educating viewers, not playing politics."
The bill aligns with the campaign's broader platform to expand multiparty democracy in Maryland. Over one million Maryland voters—25% of the electorate—are now registered outside of the two major parties, a number that continues to grow each year. Yet these voters have no representation in closed primaries and do not see alternatives to the major parties on the debate stage. The Ellis-Andrews democracy platform calls for ranked choice voting, proportional representation, and open debates as part of a comprehensive reform agenda. Read more at gogreen2026.com/democracy.
"At a time when democracy, free speech, and public television are under attack, it is good for Maryland, good for voters, and good for public television to embrace a more expansive view of democracy beyond the two parties that got us here," Ellis said.
The Ellis-Andrews campaign has made debate inclusion one of its top priorities for 2026. Appearing on the Maryland Public Television debate stage is among the campaign's four stated goals for the election cycle.
The campaign urged supporters to contact their delegates and ask them to co-sponsor HB 101.
About the Ellis/Andrews Campaign
Andy Ellis and Owen Silverman Andrews are seeking the Green Party nomination for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Maryland in 2026. Their campaign focuses on grassroots democracy, social and economic justice, environmental sustainability, and peace. The campaign is seeking public financing through Maryland's Fair Election Fund. Learn more at gogreen2026.com.
HB 101 reflects the campaign's broader commitment to civic engagement, which includes universal debate education in public schools, deliberative town halls, participatory budgeting, and citizen assemblies on major policy questions. Read the full platform at gogreen2026.com/civic-engagement.