Albany, New York - Dr. Jill Stein, Green Party contender for president, has called for public support in her fight for ballot access in New York.

"New York State has probably the most oppressive ballot access rules anywhere," Stein said in a video address outside the State Capitol in Albany last week.

Shortly before disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo left office, he increased the number of signatures third parties need to appear on the ballot from 15,000 to 45,000.

"This was all part of like kind of a dirty trick," Stein said, blaming Democrats for the suppressive changes.

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"They're the ones who are always shouting, you know, that they're rescuing democracy," she continued. "Well, here they are, you know, absolutely steamrolling our democracy, throwing opponents off the ballot to try to prevent Americans from having a choice – a real choice – an antiwar, pro-worker, climate emergency, anti-genocide choice at a time that these issues are just exploding by the hour."

"How outrageous is it that we have to jump through all kinds of hoops that are virtually prohibitive in order to just be a part of the conversation?"

Stein's campaign says the White House contender needs to collect 90,000 raw signatures in five weeks, adding that she needs to raise $250,000 for New York alone.

Stein is asking members of the public to help circulate petitions in New York, and to donate to her campaign's ballot access efforts.

"We are here to fight this fight," she insisted. "We are here to demand democracy. We are here to demand other choices that actually serve everyday people."