[GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE: Green candidates to watch on Nov. 7

Mon Nov 6 19:23:59 PST 2006

Green Party of California Voter Info

http://www.cagreens.org/media/Election2006.shtml
------------------------------------------------

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

For Immediate Release:
Monday, November 6, 2006

Green candidates to watch on Election Day, November 7

• List of promising and prominent candidates by state;
list of essential statistics about Green candidates
and state Green Parties

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Green Party has issued a list
of Green candidates whose campaigns deserve special
attention on Election Day

Many Green campaigns help establish long-term party
growth by achieving or maintaining ballot status. 
Campaigns often detemine the outcome of races, with
Green urban campaigns challenging Democrats, and rural
Greens tending to place pressure on Republicans.

"We expect many Green candidates to pick up votes from
more voters who agree with Greens on the need for
immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops," said Byron De
Lear, congressional candidate in California's 28th
District (San Fernando Valley)
<http://www.DeLearforCongress.org>.  "The Iraq
invasion was a bipartisan decision.  The Democratic
Party leadership and mainstream have rejected all
proposals, from Rep. Dennis Kucinich's [D-Oh.] 2003
plan to Rep. Jack Murtha's [D-Pa.] 2006 bill, to end
the occupation.  The only choice for millions of
voters remains the Green Party's national Peace Slate
of candidates."

Democratic and Republican politicians take for granted
that they can run in their state primaries, and, if
they win, appear on the ballot on Election Day.  But
restrictive state ballot access laws (enacted by
Democrats and Republicans) mean that Greens and other
parties must play by different rules.  Winning enough
votes on November 7 translates to winning a ballot
line for the next election cycle.

ESSENTIAL STATISTICS: Green candidates, officeholders,
ballot status

• Nationally, 330 Green Party candidates are running
in the November 7 election. Green candidates have
already won 24 out of 62 races held so far in 2006 for
a win rate of 39%. Database of 2006 Green Party
candidates.
http://www.greens.org/elections

• On November 7, 20 Green candidates are on state
ballots for governor, 59 Green candidates for
Congress, 44 Green candidates for state legislatures.

• There are 44 state Green Parties and the District of
Columbia affiliated with the Green Party of the United
States. 31 of state Green Parties have ballot access.
http://www.gp.org/statelist.shtml

• There are 230 Greens elected to public office in 28
states and the District of Columbia.
http://www.feinstein.org/greenparty/electeds.html

• Green candidates are running more TV and radio ads
than ever.
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_10_24.shtml (with
links to download ads)

GREEN CANDIDATES for statewide and congressional races
to watch on November 7

For more information on local candidates and races:
Database of all 2006 Green candidates
http://www.greens.org/elections
Index of state Green Parties
http://www.gp.org/states.shtml

ALASKA

The Green Party needs 3% to secure its ballot line.
• Eva Ince for U.S. House (At-Large)
http://www.evaforcongress.us/

ARKANSAS

The Green Party needs 3% to secure its ballot line.
• Jim Lendall for Governor http://jimlendall2006.com

CALIFORNIA

The Green Party of California qualified for statewide
ballot status in January 1992, and has retained it
since. More Greens -- well over 150,000 -- are
registered in California than in any other state. 
Three of the Green Party's most promising U.S. House
races are in California:
• Jeff Kravitz (5th District)
http://www.kravitzforcongress.org
• Bill Paparian (29th District)
http://www.paparian4congress.com
. Byron De Lear (28th District) is facing down pro-war
Democratic incumbent Howard Berman and has a solid
chance for victory on Tuesday winning the first seat
for the Green Party in the House of Representatives.
http://www.DeLearforCongress.org

• Forrest Hill's campaign for California Secretary of
State has received a recent boost because of
endorsements from prominent gay community leaders in
San Francisco http://www.voteforrest.org
http://newsblaze.com/story/20060919234616nnnn.nb/newsblaze/POLITICS/Politics.html

• Peter Camejo, running for Governor, is running radio
and TV ads telling Democrats the "race is 
over" and urging them to vote their conscience by
supporting him instead of Democrat challenger, Phil
Angelides, who is down 18 points to Gov.
Schwarzenegger in polls. http://www.votecamejo.com

• Todd Chretien, running for the U.S. Senate, is
challenging Diane Feinstein with his 'Million Votes
for Peace' campaign. http://www.todd4senate.org

CONNECTICUT

The Green Party needs 1% in the gubernatorial for its
ballot line.  With the exception of the Governor's
race, each of the statewide races only establishes
ballot access for that race.

• David Bue for State Treasurer
http://ctgreens.org/candidates/bue2006.html
• Nancy Burton for Attorney General
http://ctgreens.org/candidates/burton2006.html
• Mike DeRosa for Secretary of State
http://www.mikederosa.org/index.shtml
• Jean de Smet for Lt. Governor
http://www.votejean.com
• Ralph Ferrucci for U.S. Senate
http://www.ferrucciforsenate.org
• Clifford Thornton, Jr. for Governor
http://www.votethornton.com (Mr Thornton has received
several prominent endorsements and prominent press
coverage during the final weeks of the campaign.)

DELAWARE

• Michael Berg is running for the only U.S. House seat
in Delaware against pro-war Republican incumbent Mike
Castle http://bergforcongress.us

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The DC Statehood Green Party needs 1% for at least one
of the following candidates to maintain its ballot
line:
• Chris Otten for Mayor http://www.mayorchrisdc.com
• Ann Wilcox for City Council At-Large
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org/election2006/candidate.php?annc_id=151

• Joyce Robinson-Paul, candidate for D.C.'s 'Shadow'
U.S. Senate, received 12% of the vote when she ran for
the same office in 2002.  Ms. Robinson-Paul might
receive the highest percentage of any Green candidate
for the U.S. Senate.
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org/election2006/candidate.php?annc_id=150
.
In 2004 the DC Statehood Green Party won 6 out of 12
elections. In 2006, more Statehood Green candidates
than ever are running, with 17 on the November 7
ballot; six are running unopposed.

ILLINOIS

The Green Party need 5% to secure its ballot line; no
nationally organized party has achieved ballot status
in Illinois since 1920.  Gov. Rod Blagojevich spent
$800,000 in taxpayers' money to keep Greens off the
Illinois ballot.  Rich Whitney, candidate for
governor, has drawn 9-14% in recent polls.
http://www.whitneyforgov.org

Other Illinois Green candidates:
• David Black for Attorney General
• Dan Rodriguez-Schlorff for State Treasurer
http://www.schlorff.com
• Julie Samuels for Lt. Governor
http://www.juliesamuels.com
• Alicia Snyder for State Comptroller
• Karen Young for Secretary of State

INDIANA

The Green Party needs 2% to secure its ballot line.
• Bill Stant for Secretary of State (write-in
campaign) http://www.citizensforstant.org

IOWA

The Green Party needs 2% to secure its ballot line.
• Wendy Barth for Governor http://www.votewendy.org

MAINE

The Green Party needs 5% to maintain its ballot line. 
Pat LaMarche, running for Governor, has drawn 6-9% in
recent polls. http://www.pat2006.org/

• John Eder is running for re-election to State House
(District 118 in Portland).  In prior races, Mr. Eder
survived sustained attempts to remove him, including a
Democratic redistricting plan that placed him outside
his district. http://www.repjohneder.com

• Ben Meiklejohn is running for State House District
120 in the Portland area.  Two candidates running for
the seat; the Democratic Party is so nervous about the
race that they brought in Bill Clinton and Howard Dean
-- similar to the Democrats' last minute strategy when
Green candidate Matt Gonzalez competed for Mayor of
San Francisco in 2003.  http://www.benmeiklejohn.com

MARYLAND

The Green Party needs 1% to maintain its ballot line.

• Ed Boyd, candidate for Governor, has drawn 2-3% in
recent polls; Kevin Zeese, running for U.S. Senate,
has drawn 1-4%.
http://www.edboydforgovernor.org
http://www.kevinzeese.com

MASSACHUSETTS

The Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party needs 3% to
secure its ballot line.
• Grace Ross for Governor http://www.graceandwendy.org
• Jill Stein for Secretary of State
http://www.jillstein.org

MICHIGAN

The Green Party needs 0.6% to maintain its ballot
line:
Douglas Campbell for Governor
http://www.votecampbell2006.org
• Kevin Anthony Carey for State Board of Education
• Margaret Gutshall for Board of Governors
• Lynn Meadows for Secretary of State
http://www.lynnmeadows.net
• David Sole for U.S. Senate
http://www.stopthewarslate.org/davidsole.html
• Jacob Woods for State Board of Education

MINNESOTA

The Green Party needs 5% to secure its ballot line.
• Dave Berger for State Auditor http://daveberger.org/
• Michael Cavlan for U.S. Senate http://www/cavlan.org
• Ken Pentel http://www.kenpentel.org/

MISSOURI

The Green Party needs 2% to secure its ballot line
• Terry Bunker for State Auditor
http://www.bunkerforauditor.com
• Lydia Lewis for U.S. Senate
http://www.ppmo.org/lydialewis2006.html

NEBRASKA

The Green Party needs 5% for its ballot line (it
already has partial ballot status).
• Steve Larrick for State Auditor
http://www.nebraskagreens.org
• Doug Paterson for Secretary of State

NEVADA

The Green Party needs 1% to secure its ballot line.
• Craig Bergland for Governor
http://www.bergland4governor.org

NEW MEXICO

The Green Party needs 5% to maintain its ballot line.
• David Bacon for Public Regulation Commission
http://www.davidbacon2006.org

NEW YORK

The Green Party needs 50,000 votes for the Green
gubernatorial candidate to regain its ballot line.
• Malachy McCourt for Governor
http://votemalachymccourt.org (Mr. McCourt is a
popular author and talk show host, and is brother of
author Frank McCourt)
• Alison Duncan for Lieutenant Governor
http://www.alisonduncan.org
• Howie Hawkins for U.S. Senate (challenging Sen.
Hillary Clinton) http://www.hawkinsforsenate.org

• Julia Willebrand,  Comptroller candidate  is facing
incumbent, Alan Hevesi, who was recently  caught using
a state worker as his wife's chauffeur.
http://juliaforcomptroller.org

• Rachel Treichler, Attorney General candidate was
approved for inclusion in debates by the the League of
Women Voters which the local PBS station then refused
to air. http://www.voterachel.org

OREGON

The Green Party's ballot line is secure, due to the
number of registrations.
• Joe Keating for Governor
http://www.keatingforgovernor.org

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania requires over 67,000 signatures to place
a third party or independent candidate on the state
ballot.  Democratic and Republican candidates need
only file 2,000 signatures.  Marakay Rogers and
Christina Valente, running for Governor and Lieutenant
Governor, withdrew their petitions after Democrats
threatened a line-by-line challenge to their
signatures that would have required tens of thousands
of dollars to defend.  U.S. Senate candidate Carl
Romanelli attempted to defend his petitions, for which
he collected about 100,000 signatures, more than any
candidate in state history.  A Pennsylvania court
invalidated enough signatures to keep Mr. Romanelli
off the ballot and charged him nearly $90,000 in court
costs; he may also have to pay the Democratic Party's
legal fees, amounting to nearly $ one million. 
Pennsylvania's prohibitive ballot access laws and
severe penalties threaten third party candidates with
personal financial ruin for attempting to run.  See
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_10_09.shtml

• Mike Rosenberg for State Assembly District 108
http://www.rosenberg4rep.org

RHODE ISLAND

• Jeff Toste is a likely win for State Senate District
5.  Mr. Toste succeeded in having the incumbent
removed from the ballot because of elections
violations. http://www.votetoste.com/

TENNESSEE

State law provides two options for a party to gain
ballot status: (1) petition signatures equal to 2.5%
of most recent gubernatorial race vote total (about
43,000 signatures), or (2) 5% of the vote in any
statewide race (governor, senator, president). 
However, the state Supreme Court has ruled that a new
party must file the petitions, and the 5% is only for
retaining official status.

• Howard Switzer for Governor http://www.h4gov.com
• Christopher Lugo for U.S. Senate
http://www.chris4senate.com

UTAH

Desert Greens need 2% for their ballot line.
• Julian Hatch for U.S. Senate
http://www.hatchforsenate.org

WASHINGTON

The Green Party needs 5% to win its ballot line.
• Aaron Dixon for U.S. Senate
http://www.aarondixon.org

WISCONSIN

The Green Party needs 1% to maintain its ballot line.
• Nelson Eisman for Governor
http://wisconsingreenparty.org/pages/elections/candidates/eisman
• Mike LaForest for Secretary of State
http://geocities.com/laforestfire/green.html
• Winston Sephus Jr. for State Treasurer
http://www.sephusfortreasure.org/

• Rae Vogeler, running for U.S. Senate, recently
received an endorsement from antiwar activist Cindy
Sheehan; Ms. Vogeler, a working mother, has toured the
state campaigning for a series of ballot measures
calling for the return of U.S. troops from Iraq.
http://www.VoteRae.org

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Green campaign listings, news, photos, and web sites
http://www.gp.org/2006elections

Database of 2006 Green candidates
http://www.greens.org/elections

Video clips of Green candidates
http://www.gp.org/2006elections/media.shtml

Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml