This extensive Minnesota news story describes the two ballot-qualified third parties, the Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party, and the Legal Marijuana Now Party. It explains why there are two such parties. It also has information about what offices they will be contesting in 2020.
The two parties will retain their place on the ballot after November 2020, because the Minnesota definition of qualified party says when a group polls 5% for any statewide race, it remains on the ballot for two elections. The two parties gained qualified status in November 2018.
This article gives a good history of the two parties, but I still don’t get the essential difference between them.
Also, does Minnesota allow fusion? Can someone run as a candidate of both parties? And maybe as a Libertarian, or Green as well>
Minnesota does not allow fusion. In the 1990’s the Twin Cities Area New Party won a lawsuit against Minnesota in the 8th circuit. The 8th circuit said states cannot interfere with fusion. But Minnesota appealed to the US Supreme Court, and the US Supreme Court reversed and said it’s OK to ban fusion.
MICHELE L. TIMMONS, et al. v. TWIN CITIES AREA NEW PARTY, 520 U.S. 351 (1997).
INDIVIDUALS are elected — regardless of SCOTUS hacks.