Green Party Watch

The Illinois Green Party, which lost statewide party status in 2010, is embracing online organizing by holding their Party Primary online. Although only Illinois Green Party members can vote in the Primary, the Illinois Greens have coupled their ballot with an online membership form, allowing voters to both join the party and cast a ballot at the same time. Voting is now open, and will remain open through February 19.

The state of Illinois does not have political party registration, unlike registration states such as California, New York and Arizona. Registration with the Illinois Green Party is based on dues-paying membership and limited to Illinois residents. Dues are $25 annually, but they do offer needs-based waivers of dues.

Kent Mesplay, Jill Stein, “Undecided” are options on the online ballot, along with a Write-in Option.

You can check out the ballot and membership form here.

As reported here in October, the Illinois Green Party has filed a lawsuit against the State Board of Elections over their interpretation of the “Established Party” statute. The Examiner (Chicago) has an excellent update on the status of the Illinois Green Party’s lawsuit for Ballot Access on behalf of Congressional Candidate Laurel Lambert Schmidt and others.

Some excerpts:

Laurel Lambert Schmidt will be traveling to Springfield (Illinois) on Tuesday, December 27th to file her 1315 petitions that she and about a dozen volunteers collected in the 3rd Congressional District to run again in the 2012 election in the same district, now redrawn. She only needed 600 petitions to be placed on the ballot as a member of the ILGP.

However, The Illinois Board of Election (ISBE) will likely not accept her petitions as an Illinois Green Party candidate this time, because the IBSE no longer recognizes the ILGP as an “established political party.” For Schmidt to gain ballot access for the 3rd Congressional district, she would now need 5000 signatures.

On the status of the lawsuit so far:

The ILGP had lost its first case in Cook County Circuit Court before Circuit Judge Edmund Ponce de Leon, who is also the Presiding Judge for the 4th Municipal District. The court cited the precedent of Vestrup v. DuPage County Election Commission, which was a 2002 case involving a Libertarian Party candidate.

The Illinois Green Party (ILGP) suffered another setback on Thursday in their bid to gain “ballot access” for several of its candidates statewide in Illinois. The First Judicial District Illinois Appellate Court (5th Division) ruled the Green Party cannot be on the March primary ballot in Illinois. The order to affirm an earlier lower court ruling was signed by Appellate Court Justices James R. Epstein, Joseph Gordon, Margaret Stanton McBride, and Nathaniel R. Howse Jr.

Bring it home, Andy Finko:

Andrew Finko is adamant about the cozy relationship between the court and the Democratic Party. “In Cook County, all the trial court and appellate court judges are Democrats and owe their jobs to the Democratic party that endorsed, promoted, and made it possible for them to be elected. Outsiders do not get elected to judge,” said Finko.

He added, “Regardless of the appearances, they all have an inherent, non-waivable conflict of interest when presiding over political cases. Whether directly and/or indirectly, they all want to help their team and keep their good relations with the party that gave them their jobs.”

I highly recommend reading the entire piece at The Examiner.

http://www.examiner.com/city-hall-in-chicago/it-s-not-easy-being-the-green-party-the-state-of-illinois

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.

Green Party’s Stein Pulls 27% in Mock Presidential Election

Jill Stein, who is seeking the Green Party nomination for President, racked up a surprising 27% of the vote at the recent “Road to the White House” convention held at Western Illinois University.

The election was part of a mock convention involving over 1000 students in the midwest. The process began with party conventions to nominate candidates for the Democratic, Republican, and Green Parties. Then a general election was held. The final vote showed a three-way split with President Obama taking 39% of the vote, Romney 33%, and Stein 27%.

Stein’s showing was remarkable for an event that organizers assumed would be largely restricted to the two major parties. On a website describing the mock election, organizers explained their focus on the traditional parties by saying that “While there are many minor or third parties in American politics, our system is essentially a two-party system.” Kristen Davis, a Stein supporter at Western Illinois University said “For the students on my campus, this is by no means a two-party election. The Green Party surge is unbelievable.”

In previous years, the vote of the upper midwest students has predicted the eventual results of the Presidential election. The Stein campaign cited their 27% vote as proof that 2012 will be a year in which Greens will radically alter the political scene and become a major voice of opposition to conventional politics.

Stein said “Young people have been told that they have to choose between two parties that have been smothering them with student debt and destroying their future. We gave them a real alternative, and they responded. This is how real change in Washington begins – by just saying ‘NO’ to candidates that you don’t really trust.”

Here is Jill Stein addressing Western Illinois University last weekend:

From the Green Party of the United States:

WASHINGTON, DC — Green Party candidates have continued to receive endorsements in local races across the US.

59 Greens will be on ballots in the November 8, 2011 general election. Ten Greens have been elected to public office in elections held earlier this year, out of 34 candidates who competed.

Green candidates in St. Paul, Minnesota, received several endorsements. For the first time, St. Paul will use Ranked Choice Voting (also called Instant Runofff Voting) in City Council elections, which will increase the chances of a Green election victory.

TakeAction Minnesota, a progressive grassroots coalition, has endorsed Jim Ivey for Ward 2 (http://iveyforsaintpaul.org) and Bee Kevin Xiong (http://xiongforsaintpaul.org) for Ward 6 in City Council races.
http://www.takeactionminnesota.org/_assets/document/St._Paul_City_Council_Endorsements.pdf
http://iveyforsaintpaul.org/news/jim-ivey-endorsed-takeaction-mn

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1189 has also endorsed Mr. Ivey and Mr. Xiong.
http://www.ufcw789.org/newsletter/vol2issue5.pdf
http://iveyforsaintpaul.org/news/united-food-and-commercial-workers-endorse-jim read more »

The Illinois Green Party, and congressional candidate Laurel Lambert Schmidt, on Monday filed suit against the State Board of Elections over the Board’s interpretation of the “established party” statute. A victory for the plaintiffs would substantially lower ballot access bars for Green candidates in numerous congressional and legislative districts across the state, which would allow for many more Greens to run for office in 2012.

The case, Schmidt v. State Board of Elections, was filed in Cook County Circuit Court (11-CH-36783). The complaint charges that the Board erred in determining that the Green Party does not retain established party status in areas of the state where Green candidates exceeded 5% of the vote in 2010. Four congressional candidates and six legislative candidates reached that level, including Schmidt, whose 10,028 votes in the old 3rd Congressional District earned her just over 6% of the vote.

The Board’s argument is that since the old districts no longer exist due to decennial redistricting, the 5% rule does not apply in the new districts.

“Laurel’s situation demonstrates the absurdity of the Board’s position,” said Phil Huckelberry, Illinois Green Party Chair.

As an established party candidate, Schmidt would need to submit a petition in December with valid signatures from 600 registered voters in the district, and would then be on the March primary ballot. Non-established or “new” party candidates would have to file 5,000 signatures in June.

“The advantages for established party candidates are substantial,” said Huckelberry. “Forums and debates are often set up by June, and a number of organizations will have already issued endorsements based on who is already on the ballot.”

Schmidt is running for the second time against Dan Lipinski, a relatively unpopular Democrat who was the latest recipient of what Huckelberry called “Mike Madigan’s sugarplum gerrymandering.” Schmidt’s own residence was drawn mere blocks outside of the district, but she is prepared to move back across the line to serve the district in Congress.

“I’ve been an active member of this community for 27 years. Dan Lipinski moved into Illinois and the district after he was handed a spot on the ballot that his dad had won in the primary. Now, every rule and every line are bent in Dan Lipinski’s favor,” said Schmidt, who labeled Lipinski as a “socially conservative, blue dog hawk.”

“The people of the 3rd District deserve a choice. As the first Green in Congress I will work for and be a voice for peace, people, and planet over short-term profits. The two-party system and its control by corporate cash is destroying the 99% – that’s us.”

Schmidt is not the only candidate who will be affected by the ruling, said Huckelberry. “We have interested people who are looking for some resolution on this issue before jumping in.”

Illinois Green Party: www.ilgp.org
Laurel Lambert Schmidt for Congress: www.laurel4congress.org

From the Illinois Green Party website:

The Illinois Green Party is calling for candidates to come forward for the 2012 election cycle. Voter discontent with the two entrenched parties continues to grow, and here in Illinois the Green Party remains the only viable alternative for most voters!

Now is a good time for Greens in all states to consider running for office in 2012. Anyone considering a run should contact their state and/or local parties to discuss the details.

Check out the Illinois Green Party’s call for 2012 candidates at the ILGP website.

Scot Hansen of the DuPage County Illinois Green Party published an article at the local party’s website titled Why I joined the Green Party

In the article, Hansen explains

There is a way to get our democracy back from the big money donors that run our legislature. It’s called people-powered politics, and it starts on a local level. That movement is called the Green Party.

Why did you join the Green Party?

From the NBC affiliate WREX:

ROCKFORD (WREX) -The Illinois Green Party wants people to be more aware of the dangers of nuclear energy.

Director of Nuclear Energy Information Service Chicago Dave Kraft says residents and lawmakers should be concerned because Illinois has four reactors the same type and vintage as the ones in Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Kraft said today was a chance to raise awareness in political circles about the state of nuclear energy in Illinois and hopefully inspire legislators to take a hard look at safety at our nuclear reactors.

He said it’s also time to consider alternative sources of energy and cut our dependence on nuclear energy.

I have the pleasure of being able to attend the Illinois Green Party’s State Membership Meeting this weekend (July 15-16) in Rockford, Illinois.

At this meeting, elections will be held for Chair, Secretary, and Membership Steward of the Illinois Green Party, and for delegate seats on the Green National Committee.

Presentations from local anti-nuclear power activist Stan Campbell and Nuclear Energy Information Service Executive Director David Kraft will highlight the meeting.

There will be no admission charge for the meeting. Donation will be accepted for extras such as a continental breakfast.

Friday night, a social event will be held at the Sweden House Lodge in the Scandia Room from 8:00 until midnight. Please bring your own food and drink as there are no dining facilities that serve the room.

Saturday evening, a fundraising dinner will be held at the India House, 6430 E. Riverside Blvd. in Loves Park. We are planning to have a private room with buffet style dinner of four entrees, salad bar, soda and non-alcoholic drinks, dessert, bread, rice, and an appetizer. Suggested cost is $40 or $25 for those with limited income.

The preliminary agenda for the meeting:

10:00 Sign-in, coffee, etc.
11:00 Welcome, Introductions
11:15 Agenda approval; call for officer nominees
11:30 Bylaws and related
* Proposed Bylaws Changes
* Authorizing the Coordinating Committee to approve 2012 Presidential Preference Process Rules.
1:00 Lunch
2:00 Officer elections
2:15 Presentation on nuclear energy with Dave Kraft of NEIS (Nuclear Energy Information Service) and Stanley Campbell
2:55 Announcement of election results
3:00 The next 18 months: Honoring Successful Candidates; Rethinking and Rebuilding Locals; Public Elections
5:00 Adjourn
7:00 Fundraising Dinner

From the Illinois Green Party Newsletter:

Several Greens are on the April 5 ballot for local offices in different parts of Illinois. Each campaign can use help up until Election Day, and especially on Election Day itself helping out at polling places. Please contact the campaigns directly if you’re able to help them out.

These are the hottest races we’re watching:

- JESSICA BRADSHAW for Carbondale City Council

Jessica is one of 12 candidates for three seats on the Carbondale City Council, which has been moving in a conservative direction in recent years. In the February primary, Jessica placed sixth, but only 100 votes behind the candidate in third.

Carbondale has suffered recently from declining enrollment at Southern Illinois University, an overbuilding of rental units, neighborhood blight, big box stores paying lower wages, and municipal pension and budget problems. At a March 21 candidate forum, Jessica called for innovative, sustainable alternatives, such as raising revenue through taxing the use of plastic bags, bottles, and Styrofoam; and filling in vacant property rather than continuing a sprawl which is overextending city services.

“If you renovate it, they will come. If you beautify, they will come. If we make Carbondale a better place to live, people will want to live here.”

http://bradshaw4council.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Bradshaw-for-Carbondale-City-Council/126452204088134

- STEVE ALESCH for Warrenville Park District Board

Steve is one of three candidates for two seats on the Warrenville Park District Board. He would be the first Green to hold elected office in DuPage County. Greater sustainability of park district facilities and greater transparency in posting financial data on the district’s web site are his spotlight issues.

http://www.electalesch.org/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elect-Steve-Alesch-for-Warrenville-Park-District-Commissioner/205201262824079

- TONI WILLIAMS for Thornton Township District 205 High School Board

District 205 administrators and board members have been leading a push to convert Thornridge High School into an all-freshman center – but parents and other community members are not pleased with the move. Toni is running as part of a slate of three candidates opposing the move, and has been able to line up significant support from other elected officials across Thornton Township. Edward Crayton and Darren Robinson are also part of the slate.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Thornridge-Thornton-and-Thornwood-High-Schools-Its-As-Easy-As-1-2-3/174328122602803

- MATT HAWKINS & COURTNEY JOHNSON for East St. Louis City Council

At the beginning of 2011, East St. Louis had over 21,000 registered voters… but fewer than 17,000 residents age 25 or older. This is just a slice of the East St. Louis political experience. The East St. Louis Alliance for Change came together to work to improve this severely economically depressed community, and Matt and Courtney have taken the charge to bring these issues before the voters.

http://www.alliance1820.com/

Municipal Elections were held in Chicago Tuesday, in a low turnout primary election where if no candidate gets 50% of the vote there is a run off election. Two Greens were on the ballot, both losing in the primary.

In the 12th Ward, Alberto Bocanegra, Jr. came in 4th of 5 candidates, finishing with 321 votes (6.63%).

In the 47th Ward, Matt Reichel finished 3rd of 4 candidates with 605 votes (3.21%).

In a statement on Facebook, Bocanegra said: “Unfortunately we didn’t get the outcome we expected. People are so disgusted with politicians that they refused to come out and vote.”

WCT: What does it mean/matter that you are endorsed by the Green Party?

Matt Reichel: This is significant because the 47th Ward has been one of the top performing wards for the Green Party going back to [Ralph] Nader’s presidential run in 2000. There has always been a strong progressive and independent streak to this community, and so this would be a fitting place to elect the city’s first Green alderman. If elected, our ward organization will be converted into a coalition of community groups, oriented on civic service. We will not exist purely as a means of electing machine Democrats to higher office, as is currently the case. As such, a victory for me will be more than a victory for the Green Party; it will be a victory for all working people of the 47th Ward.

Matt Reichel is running for Alderman in Chicago’s 47th Ward. Read the entire interview here.

Alberto Bocanegra, Jr., Chair of the Cook County Greens, has apparently raised over $50,000 in his campaign for the 12th Ward Alderman in Chicago against incumbent George Cardenas and 3 other challengers. Cardenas has raised over $135,000 according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

From his website:

12th Ward Committeeman Alberto Bocanegra, Jr. was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and is a Native son of the 12 ward. Alberto graduated Shield Elementary, located in the 12th ward, and Curie High School. He also attended Fox College.

By the time Alberto was 20 years of age, he opened a successful Labor Employment Agency where he employed over 2,000 people every day. Throughout his business career Bocanegra demonstrated care and concern for people. His revolutionary policy of providing free transportation to job sites encouraged the city council to entertain an ordinance codifying a similar idea.

Alberto is a proud member of the organization that made the March 10th Immigration and May Day mega marches possible. He was featured on newscasts seen worldwide as he confronted Minutemen organizers. As the Chairman of the Cook County Green Party, Bocanegra has fought against corruption and injustice in all parts of the city. Alberto has fought hard for affordable housing, particularly in the 12th ward. Active supporter of F.A.D Families Against Drugs where he received a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of many selfless hours spent working to improve Brighton Park.

There was a candidate forum for the open 47th Ward seat in Chicago last night but no press about it today. Matt Reichel, one of 4 candidates seeking the open seat, claimed victory:

Reichel emerged from the debate as upbeat as ever: “This debate marked a clear victory for the Reichel camp. I was the most energetic, determined and progressive of the candidates, and provided the most well-founded and realistic solutions to the problems facing this city.”

While the debate remained civil throughout, the candidates did find room to inject friendly jabs at one another. In response to Reichel’s pleas to the community to join him in cleaning out the ward organization and removing the machine influence that exists there now, Tom O’Donnell disparaged Reichel and claimed “This isn’t about “machine” this or “machine” that. This is about getting things done.” Reichel retorted: “With all due respect, Mr. O’Donnell, the Democratic machine is very real, and poses a real road block to getting anything done for the 99% of us that are not integral members of it.”

Mr. O’Donnell is a long-time member of Ald. Schulter’s ward organization.

Reichel continued: “Our progressive and populist message resonated most with voters in attendance, who were also impressed by the enthusiasm of our campaign. Today, we have made a big step forward to victory on February 22nd.”