Green Party Watch

2011 Green Party Election Wrap-up by the numbers

by Brent McMillan

104 green party candidates ran for election in 2011. By comparison 150 green party candidates ran for election in 2007, 277 green party candidates ran for election in 2003 and 96 green party candidates ran for election in 1999 (the year prior to the presidential election).

More than half of the offices that greens ran for in 2011 were partisan, by my count, 54.

22 greens were elected to office in 2011, 21% of those who ran.

Eleven of the 22, half, were incumbents seeking re-election. Two of these were partisan:

In the spring, Jason West made a come back and was elected to Mayor of New Paltz, NY.

In the fall election, Leif Smith was re-elected to Constable in Redding, CT.

Of note, there was a successful write-in campaign in Virginia. Ira Richards was elected to Lord Fairfax District Soil and Water Conservation Board. He was one of 2 candidates that ran for two seats receiving 135 votes or 3%. (There may have been another successful write-in campaign in VA but have not been able to confirm.)

Officeholder summary for 2011:

California:

Larry Bragman was re-elected to Fairfax Town Council (Fall Election.)

Matthew Clark was re-elected to Granada Sanitary District (Fall Election.)

William Hayes was elected to Mendocino Coast Park and Recreation District (Fall Election.)

Kathryn Marando did not seek re-election to the Tomales Community Services District.

Ryan O’Neil was elected to Fairfax Town Council (Fall Election.)

Vahe Peroomian was re-elected to Glendale Community College District (Spring Election.)

Richard Sloan left the Green Party.

Lew Tremaine did not seek re-election to Fairfax Town Council.

Colorado:

Pete Gleichman did not seek re-election to Mayor of Ward.

Tanya Ishikawa was elected in a come back to Federal Heights City Council Ward 1 (Fall Election.)

Connecticut:

Daphne Dixon lost her re-election to Fairfield Zoning Board (Fall Election.)

Hector Lopez lost his re-election to Constable in New Canaan (Fall Election.)

Leif Smith was re-elected to Constable in Redding (Fall Election.)

Ronna Suller lost her re-election to New London Board of Eduction (Fall Election.)

Illinois:

Steve Alesch was elected to Warrenville Park District Commissioner (Spring Election.)

Don Crawford was elected to St. Elmo Library Board (Spring Election.)

Michael Drennen was elected to Ridgeville Park Board (Spring Election.)

Peter Schwartzman was elected to Galesburg City Council Ward 5 (Spring Election.)

Toni Williams was elected to Thornton Township District 205 High School Board (Spring Election.)

Maryland:

Christine Nagel was re-elected to College Park City Council District 1 (Fall Election.)

New Jersey:

Gary Novosielski was re-elected to Rutherford School Board (Spring Election.)

New York:

Jason West was elected to Mayor of New Paltz (Spring Election.)

Oklahoma:

Ed Shadid was elected to Oklahoma City Council (Spring Election.)

Pennsylvania:

Sam Ettaro left the Green Party.

Leif Winter did not seek re-election to Franklin Township Auditor, Susquehanna County.

Virginia:

Kathleen Harrigan did not seek re-election to Tri County/City (Fredericksburg) Soil and Water Conservation District Board.

Daniel Metraux did not seek re-election to Headwaters (Staunton) Soil and Water Conservation District Board.

Ira Richards was elected to Lord Fairfax District Soil and Water Conservation Board (Fall Election.)

Chris Simmons was re-elected to Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District Board (Fall Election.)

Wisconsin:

JoEllen Gramling did not seek re-election to Schleswig Town Clerk.

Tony Palmeri did not seek re-election to Oshkosh Common Council. (Instead he sought election to Mayor of Oshkosh but was not successful.)

Bob Poeschl was re-elected to Oshkosh Common Council At-Large (Spring Election)

Marsha Rummel was re-elected to Madison Common Council District 6 (Spring Election.)

The Green Party starts 2012 with 125 elected officeholders, 21 of which are partisan offices.

The Colorado Independent has an interesting story about Colorado Green Party US Senate candidate Bob Kinsey:

In the nailbiter Colorado U.S. Senate race watched by the nation this week, Green Party candidate Bob Kinsey came in third place, after Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican Ken Buck. Kinsey pulled down 2.1 percent of the vote, i.e., yays from roughly 36,300 voters. That’s a lot of people… In the year of the Tea Party, however, Kinsey’s main platform position would have revolutionized federal spending and should have drawn the attention at least of self-proclaimed fiscal hawks on the right.

“My major focus is foreign policy,” Kinsey said. “I want to cut the military budget by 75% and use that money to create jobs. If you include in military spending the drug war, Homeland Security, the CIA, and other agencies, that’s over a trillion dollars a year. The AFSC calculated that you could provide every unemployed person with a $50,000 job [out of the current defense budget] and [just spending what was left over] the U.S. would still spend more on the military than any other country in the world.”

Soon-to-be GOP House Speaker John Boehner is talking a lot about reining in government even though he has yet to mention a program he plans to cut. You can bet his small government plan will come nothing close to the budget-slashing that could stem from a Kinsey plan.

Read the full story “Green Party to Tea Party: What about military spending?” at the Colorado Independent.

Here is the first installment of comprehensive Green Party election results from the November 2010 elections, starting with Arizona, Arkansas, California and Colorado:

AZ:
Jerry Joslyn, US Senate: 19,118 votes, 1%
Leonard Clark, US House AZ-3: 2320 votes, 1.5%
Rebecca DeWitt, US House AZ-4: 1652 votes, 2.6%
Richard Grayson, US House AZ-6: 2461 votes, 1.3%
Deborah Odowd, State Rep AZ-6: 3857 votes, 5.8%
Justin Dahl, State Rep AZ-12: 4778 votes, 6% read more »

There are 58 candidates running for the United States House of Representatives on November 2.

This is the second of three posts on Green Party House candidates, continuing with the Western portion of the United States. There are candidates running in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

Arlzona
William Crum (CD 2) – William Crum is a write-in candidate for U.S. House, second district. He ran for the same seat in 2008 and finished with 3,616 votes (1.1%) in a four way race. He is a father of five and grandfather of 17.
Leonard Clark (CD 3) – Len Clark is running for US House in Arizona’s 3rd District. Find out more about his campaign at his facebook page.
Rebecca Dewitt (CD 4) – Rebecca is an accountant, a mother, and the Secretary of the Arizona Green Party. She ran for the same seat in 2008 and finished with 4,464 votes (3.6%). Find out more about Rebecca Dewitt at her website.

California
Carol Wolman (CD 1) – Wolman is a psychiatrist on the Mendocino Coast, primarily working with native peoples. She is married with two children. In 2008 she ran for the same seat, finishing with an impressive 24,793 votes (8.54%), one of the best returns of congressional candidates in 2008.
Ben Emery (CD 4) – Ben Emery is a private ranch manager, he lives in Nevada City, CA with his wife and children. This is his first campaign for office.
Dave Heller (CD 9) – Heller ran a write-in campaign for this seat in 2008, finishing with 37 votes. Learn more about his campaign at his website. Also see his candidate statement video at KTVU.
Jeremy Cloward (CD 10) – Cloward is a political science professor, living in Pleasant Hill, CA with his wife and children. He last ran for this same office last year in a special election, finishing with 2,515 votes (1.83%).
Eric Peterson (CD 17) – Peterson is one of four candidates running for US House in the 17th Congressional District.

Colorado
Gary Swing (CD 1) – Gary Swing is a long time Green Party activist, working on Green Party campaigns since the mid-1990’s. He ran for State Representative in 1996 on the Green Party ticket, finishing with 1,338 votes (8.5%). He is a cultural event promoter in the Denver area, avid mountain climber, vegetarian and 9/11 truth movement supporter.

New Mexico
Alan Woodruff (CD 1) - Woodruff has been a chemical engineer, a management consultant, a financial consultant and a tax lawyer. After retiring from law practice he was a novelist and political junkie. This is his first run for office.

Oregon
Chris Henry (CD 1) – I had the pleasure of spending time with Chris Henry in Detroit this summer, he is a great guy. He is a union truck driver and green party organizer in Oregon. He last ran in 2008 for this same seat, finishing with 5,252 votes (2%).
Michael Meo (CD 3) – Meo is a math teacher and science historian, teaching at both the high school and university level. He is also a co-chair of the Pacific Green Party of Oregon. He ran for this same office in 2008, finishing with 12,741 votes (4%).
Michael Beilstein (CD 4) – Beilstein is a retired chemist from Oregon State University who also served time in the Peace Corps in the 1970s. He has also served three terms on the Corvalis City Council. He ran for this same seat in 2008, finishing with 8,195 votes (4%).
Chris Lugo (CD 5) – Lugo is a journalist and peace activist who previously ran for office on the Green Party ticket in Tennessee. Lugo has run twice for US Senate in the past, in 2008 he ran in Tennessee finishing with 9,102 votes (0.4%) and in 2006 he ran for Senate finishing with 2,578 votes (0.1%). (By the way, he has one of the most visually appealing websites from Green Party candidates.)

Texas
Jim Howe (CD 11) – Howe is an active member of the Permian Basin Central Labor Union and Communication Workers of America. This his first campaign for office.
Ed Scharf (CD 23) – Ed Scharf ran for this seat in 2002, finishing with 805 votes (0.5%). He is the co-owner of a wildlife lodge and broker with Scharf Realty.

Washington
Roy Olson (CD 9) – Olson, an actuary in Olympia, is a candidate for U.S. Representative in Washington’s Ninth Congressional District. Because of Washington’s “Top Two” election law, Olson was eliminated from the general election ballot during the primary on Sept. 1, where he finished 4th with 4,159 votes (3.34%).

Peter Shelton at the Telluride Watch reports on Colorado Green Party US Senate candidate Bob Kinsey:

The Durango Herald has an interview with Colorado Green Party US Senate candidate Bob Kinsey:

A veteran, an ordained minister, a peace activist and a retired school teacher, Denver resident Bob Kinsey isn’t a typical politician.

He’s never been elected to office, but that didn’t stop him from making a third-party bid for the U.S. Senate with the Green Party.

Kinsey said he is sick of politicians who sacrifice their values in the name of party unity and winning elections, a problem he sees as endemic across both major political parties.

Kinsey would like to see that change. He wants more people to vote with their consciences, not their parties.

“One-third of the state is independent or they say they are. … Then why don’t you get with a party that you think represents your values?” he said Sunday.

Read the full article at the Durango Herald.

The Washington Park Profile has an interview with Colorado Green Party US Senate candidate Bob Kinsey entitled “Green Candidate Bob Kinsey Not Afraid to Speak His Mind”:

Kinsey is running for the U.S. Senate on the Green Party ticket. He came up short in a 2004 bid to unseat Marilyn Musgrave for the House of Representatives seat from District 4, and garnered a noteworthy 50,004 votes (2.1 percent of the votes cast) in the 2008 Senate race that sent Mark Udall to the Capitol.

Having taught high school history and social studies for 25 years, Kinsey says, “We need more voices in the political arena so we can address the issues rationally, instead of simply demonizing the other side.” He believes the two major parties are so hamstrung by obligation to their financial contributors that they are unable to function in the best interests of their constituents.

Read the full article at the Washington Park Profile.

The following resolution was endorsed by the Green Party of Colorado at their convention in Florence, CO on May 1st 2010:

The Green Party of Colorado supports the property rights of the ranchers and farmers in Southeastern Colorado. And we do not support the US Army’s decision to expand their mechanized vehicle maneuver area so that they will be prepared to fight the “wars of the future.” If the ranchers and farmers are moved off their land, the surrounding communities will be affected economically. The ecology of the Comanche grasslands will be changed and heritage sites containing the remnants of earlier civilizations and archeological relics will become inaccessible and subject to damage. The U.S. Army’s “wars of the future” are wars to control other nations’ energy resources for the profit of a few of the world’s largest corporations. The future health of the U.S. economy and our environment require that we wean ourselves from dependence on foreign sources of energy and eventually the use of oil altogether. Fighting wars for the control of the last drop of a resource whose use is impacting our global climate is short sighted. The Green Party of Colorado asks the U.S. Army to plan for future peace and not war by pulling its troops home from all over the world and using them as a defensive force that can protect the nation and help communities recover from natural disasters. They should not be using oil as an excuse to destroy communities in Colorado and around the world. Green Party representatives to Congress will vote against the acquisition of the Piñon Canyon land by the U.S. Army.

At least ten state Green Parties have statewide events coming up in May. Listed below are details for upcoming Green Party events in Colorado, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina. Attending statewide Green gatherings can be a good way to get more involved with your state’s Green Party.

Saturday 1 May

Colorado – Green Party of Colorado 2010 state convention – Florence, CO

Maine – Maine Green Independent Party 2010 state convention – Greene, ME

Minnesota – Green Party of Minnesota 2010 statewide nominating convention – Red Wing, MN

South Carolina – Green Party of South Carolina 2010 state convention – Columbia, SC

Tuesday 4 May

Ohio – Green Party of Ohio primary election

Friday 14 May

Florida – Green Party of Florida 2010 state meeting (5/14-5/16) – Peace Farm (near Gainesville, FL)

Saturday 15 May

Michigan – Green Party of Michigan 2010 state membership meeting – Lansing, MI

North Carolina – Green Party of North Carolina spring gathering – Greensboro, NC

New York – Green Party of New York 2010 state nominating convention – Albany, NY

Saturday 22 May

Maryland – Green Party of Maryland 2010 state assembly – Annapolis, MD

Art Goodtimes

Art Goodtimes, Colorado’s only elected Green Party County Commissioner, has started a Facebook page for Rural Greens. Goodtimes is in San Miguel County, and runs the Telluride Mushroom Festival as poet-in-residence, as he has for the past 25 years.

The Facebook page is here. If you live in rural areas, please consider joining. There has been an interest in a rural Greens caucus for some time, and lots of our sisters and brothers live in rural areas, but don’t have a good way to connect with other Greens.

Since November 4th, we’ve learned of 7 more Greens elected in California, Colorado, Connecticut and Iowa. In addition to the 21 Greens elected on Nov. 3rd, that makes 28 Green victories this fall. Thanks to Brent McMillan of GPUS for tipping us off. read more »

From Tanya Ishikawa at Your Hub Denver:

Thornton resident D’Lallo elected to lead Greens

Contributed by: Tanya Ishikawa on 7/21/2009

The Green Party of Colorado elected Tony D’Lallo of Thornton as co-chair at its Annual Meeting on July 15. D’Lallo is a teacher at Vantage Point High School in Adams Twelve Five Star Schools, a board member on the Thornton Arts, Sciences, Humanities Council, and a fellow in the Center for Progressive Leadership.

The state Green Party is led by two co-chairs, and incumbent Claire Ryder of Denver was re-elected to continue her duties with the party. Dan Sage of the Arapahoe County Greens was re-elected as state treasurer and Eric Fried of the Poudre Valley Greens was re-elected as state secretary.

The 2009 state meeting of the Colorado Greens was held via phone and Internet through www.gotomeeting.com as a way of lowering its environmental impact and minimizing the event’s carbon footprint. Thousands of pounds of greenhouse gasses were avoided by not having members drive across the state to one meeting location.

Former state co-chair Dave Chandler of Arvada organized the state meeting, before stepping down. Other meeting business included election of Victor Forsythe, Tom Kelly, Claire Ryder and Charlie Green (alternate) as National Committee Delegates. All elected positions holdone year terms.

Members of the Green Party of Colorado hold nine elected offices across the state. In the metro area, Tanya Ishikawa is a Councilmember in Federal Heights and Peter Gleichman is Mayor of Ward. To the southeast, Charlie Green is a Boardmember in Fremont County School District RE-3. Jeffrey Bergeron is a Member of Breckenridge Town Council, and Scott Chaplin is a Trustee on the Carbondale Board of Trustees. To the southwest, officials are San Miguel County County Commissioner Art Goodtimes, Dolores Town Boardmember Wendy Mimiaga, Cortez City Councilman Matt Keefauver, and Norwood Town Boardmember Michelle Haynes.

“I acknowledge that our current office holders face some tough challenges over the next few years with budget cuts and weakened infrastructure,” stated new Colorado Green co-chair D’Lallo. “These tough challenges require serious attention to the immediate needs of our schools, neighborhoods, towns, cities, and state. We will need Green Party members and our progressive and radical allies to work at the grassroots level both serving communities and building coalitions.”

For information about the Green Party of Colorado, go to: http://www.coloradogreenparty.org/ or call state co-chair Tony D’Lallo at 303-428-6677.

In a post at their website, the Colorado Green Party is promoting the Transpartisan Alliance, which claims to be a way to bring liberals, conservatives, libertarians, greens, independents and everyone else together.

Transpartisanship acknowledges the validity of truths across a range of political perspectives and seeks to synthesize them into an inclusive, pragmatic whole beyond typical political dualities.

Sponsors include the League of Women Voters, who often refuse to allow smaller party and independent candidates to participate in the debates they sponsor, the Liberty Coalition, a Ron Paul off-shoot, Common Cause, Mobilize.org, and the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation.

The website lists a number of individuals and groups involved. Here is a list of the group’s “Advisors”, including the Green Party’s political director, Brent McMillan.

The Colorado Green Party is running Bob Kinsey for US Senate in a four way race. The Constitution Party is also putting a candidate up in the race along with the two corporate parties. To find out more about this race, visit this site.

In a decidedly more local race, John Anthony La Pietra, Green Party candidate for Calhoun County Clerk and Register of Deeds has announced that he will make webspace available for towns in the county which don’t have websites of their own. The same story makes mention of Green Party candidate Lynn Meadows. She’s running for Michigan’s 7th congressional district.

Over in Virginia, the Green Party has announced support for a county bond issue. Interestingly enough, both the Democrats and Republicans are opposed to the bond issue.

Finally, both Cynthia McKinney and Ralph Nader have signed a pledge to, in essence, raise holy hell in the event this fall’s election is stolen as the last two were. To get those details from Yahoo!, just click here

That’s all folks! For now at any rate.

The Rocky Mountain News profiles Bob Kinsey today, Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate. Kinsey, 71, is challenging Democrat Mark Udall over his continued votes to fund Bush’s war of occupation in Iraq.

The war, he said, is diverting funds from the faltering domestic economy, driving our dependence on foreign oil and, in doing so, contributing to global warming, he said.

“You can’t separate what’s going on,” he said. “My main campaign piece says: ‘Unlimited growth is the ideology of a cancer cell.’ ”

A lifelong peace-and-justice activist, Kinsey moved to Colorado in 1967 to take a clergy position at First United Church in Arvada, later becoming a public school teacher. He moved West after getting fired from a church in Ohio – for letting youthful congregants speak out against the war in Vietnam.

The Bob Kinsey for Senate Website here.

Kinsey is polling at 2% in Colorado, and was included in this four way debate with Republican, Democrat and Constitution Party candidates on the ballot along side him.