Michael Bagdes-Canning of Cherry Valley, the endorsed Green Party candidate for lieutenant governor, is collecting signatures for his petition to be placed on the ballot for the general election in November.

Tuesday Badges-Canning was at the Butler City Ward 1 polling place at Orchard Hill Church on Walker Avenue seeking signatures.

Bagdes-Canning, a retired teacher, said he has held an elected office in the borough for 33 years and is serving as mayor.

Since his retirement, Bagdes-Canning has been an organizer in the fracking and climate fight. He serves on the board of several community organizations and is a co-founder of Marcellus Outreach Butler, co-founder of the Better Path Coalition and works with Beyond Extreme Energy.

“I’m circulating this petition in Butler County to raise awareness in the region that voters in Pennsylvania will have a choice besides the two corporate candidates,” he said.

In addition to climate concerns, Bagdes-Canning is also running to end corruption and supports a gift ban, an end to the per diem and an end to partisan gerrymandering.

“Our political system isn’t broken. It functions exactly the way the two corporate parties and the 1% want it to function. Our government is for sale to the highest bidder,” he said.