[Sosfbay-discuss] GP RELEASE Greens to watch on Election Day, Nov. 6;

Thu Nov 1 16:22:23 PDT 2007

From: Scott McLarty <scottmclarty at yahoo.com>
Subject: GP RELEASE Greens to watch on Election Day, Nov. 6;
        ballot access news

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, November 1, 2007

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
mclarty at greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805,
starlene at gp.org

2007 Green candidates to watch on Election Day,
November 6

* Facts, figures, and updates on Green ballot
access, officeholders, and campaigns in the
off-year election

* Green candidate database for 2007 and other
campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party is off and
running with candidates for public office in
races throughout the US on Election Day, November
6.

The total number of Green candidates in 2007 is
130.  At least 225 Greens across the nation
currently hold elected office.  Greens ran 377
races throughout 2006, winning 67 races (18%).
Out of 170 municipal and county races in 2007,
Greens won 70 (41%).

45 states and the District of Columbia have
parties affiliated with the Green Party of the
United States
<http://www.gp.org/statelist.shtml>.  22 state
Green Parties have ballot access for the 2008
national election as of October 2007.

Several candidates deserve special attention in
the 2007 election:

* Chuck Turner is running for reelection to the
City Council District 7 seat in Boston,
Massachusetts.  He is currently the highest
ranking African-American Green officeholder in
the US.  Mr. Turner won his primary election with
75% of the votes cast.

* Howie Hawkins, candidate for Councilor At-Large
in Syracuse, New York
<http://www.howiehawkins.org> was endorsed by the
Syracuse Post-Standard on October 30
<http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf*/base/opinion-2/1193734919100810.xml&coll=1>.
 Mr. Hawkins ran for the US Senate in New York
against Hillary Clinton in the 2006 election.

* Grace Ross, for Councilor-at-large in
Worcester, Massachusetts
<http://www.grace4worcester.org>, is one of
twelve candidates running for six seats after
finishing sixth in the September 11 primary.

BALLOT ACCESS UPDATES

* NATIONAL  On October 30, Ralph Nader, Peter
Camejo, and six voters filed a lawsuit against
the Democratic National Committee. The 30-page
complaint details the national Democratic Party*s
extensive support for challenges to Mr. Nader's
ballot positions, especially efforts to sabotage
ballot petitions and harass petitioners in
several states.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2007/10/30/nader-sues-democratic-national-committee-for-2004-dirty-tricks/

* ARKANSAS  On October 17, the Arkansas Green
Party was notified that its petition has been
certified. It is the only Arkansas party, other
than the Democratic and Republican Parties, that
is on the ballot for all offices.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2007/10/17/arkansas-says-green-party-is-on-ballot/
http://www.arkgreens.org

* NEW JERSEY  On October 17, New Jersey Superior
Court Judge Neil H. Shuster ordered that the
state grant equal treatment to alternative
political parties.  The ruling eliminates some of
the structural advantages long enjoyed by the
Democratic and Republican Parties, and concedes
that New Jersey election law must treat
alternative parties as official "political
parties" for the purposes of campaign finance,
lobbying, and voter registration.  The lawsuit in
the case was filed by the Green Party of New
Jersey, the New Jersey Constitution Party, and
the New Jersey Libertarian Party.
http://www.njappleseed.net/entity_pdfs/182.pdf
http://www.gpnj.org

* PENNSYLVANIA  Carl Romanelli, 2006 Green
candidate for the US Senate, is awaiting a
decision from the State Supreme Court on
$80,000-plus in costs he was ordered to pay as a
penalty for invalidated signatures on his ballot
petitions.  In an equally troubling and
unprecedented twist, the court also encumbered
Mr. Romanelli's attorney, Larry Otter, with fines
and costs.  Pennsylvania requires over 67,000
valid signatures for third party and independent
candidates but only 2,000 signatures for
Democrats and Republicans running for US Senator,
Governor, or President.  Greens have accused the
Pennsylvania court system of intimidating third
parties and independents and freezing them out of
major races by exacting such fines, which are
unprecedented in the US.  The Green, Libertarian,
and Constitution Parties of Pennsylvania have
filed a joint law suit in the US Supreme Court
against the state's blatantly unfair and
antidemocratic ballot access laws.
http://video.google.com/videoplay*docid=-4586797401475004986
http://video.google.com/videoplay*docid=-4586797401475004986
http://www.youtube.com/watch*v=MiED0xToa48
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_10_09.shtml
http://www.gpofpa.org

MORE 2007 GREEN CANDIDATES TO WATCH

Arizona
* Beryl Baker for Tucson City Council Ward 4
http://ElectBerylBaker.tripod.com
* Dave Croteau for Mayor of Tucson
http://www.davecroteau4mayor.org

California
* Janice Brittain, for City Council, Hermosa
Beach http://www.janicebrittain.com

Connecticut
* Jean de Smet, for First Selectman, Windham
http://www.VoteJean.com
* Ronna Stuller, for Board of Education, New
London http://www.nlgreens.org

Indiana
* Kathleen Petitjean, for Council 1st Distict in
South Bend, Indiana
http://www.votepetitjean.wordpress.com
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article*AID=/20071028/NEWS01/710280355

Maine
* Ben Meiklejohn for Portland School Committee
http://www.benmeiklejohn.com/
* Leslie Minton for Portland School Committee

Maryland
* Maria Allwine, for President of the Baltimore
City Council http://www.takebge.org/main.htm
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.fraser14oct14,0,1317880.column

New York
* Margaret Human, for New Paltz Town Councilman
(At-Large) http://www.humanfornewpaltz.org
* David Lussier, for Albany County Legislature,
District 7 http://www.lussierforleg.com/  (In a
four-way race for an Albany City Council seat in
2005, Mr. Lussier finished second with 30%)

Pennsylvania
* Jennaro Pullano, for Mayor, Reading
http://www.pullanoformayor.org

Virginia
* Josh Ruebner, Arlington County Board
http://www.voteruebner.com (five candidates
running for two seats)

Washington
* Sally Soriano, for reelection to Seattle School
Board, North District 1 http://sallysoriano.org
* Joe Szwaja, Seattle City Council Position 3
http://joeforcouncil.com

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
* Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
* Green Party Speakers Bureau
http://www.gp.org/speakers
* 2007 national Green Party meeting in Reading,
Pa.: video footage, blog and media coverage
http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/

"Green Party chooses 2007 Green candidates for
campaign support"
Green Party press release, October 3, 2007
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_10_03.shtml