SOLON — A U.S. Senate hopeful is leaving the Maine Green Independent Party to make it easier to get onto the November ballot.

Lisa Savage Photo courtesy of Lisa Savage

Lisa Savage, an educator from Solon, says that running as an independent candidate will free her from the requirement of getting signatures from 2,000 Greens by March 15 to qualify for the June 9 primary.

As an independent, Savage will have to gather double the signatures — 4,000 — but those signatures can come from any registered Maine voter. The deadline for her to submit them is June 1.

Four Democrats are vying to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins along with several other independents: lawyer Tiffany Bond; retired financial planner Max Linn and former Republican state committee member Linda Wooten.

Savage said her platform remains as “Green as ever” and that she will seek the Green Independent Party’s endorsement.