Green Party of Pennsylvania

Last updated

Green Party of Pennsylvania
Co-ChairsJeremy Griffin and Theron Gilliland Jr.
SecretaryNina Larbi
TreasurerJeff "J.J." Kondrich
Headquarters Philadelphia, PA
Membership (May 2021)Decrease2.svg10,018 [1]
Ideology Green politics
Political position Left-wing [2]
National affiliation Green Party of the United States
Colors  Green
Seats in the US Senate
0 / 2
Seats in the US House
0 / 18
Seats in the State Senate
0 / 50
Seats in the State House
0 / 203
Elected Officials19 (July 2020) [3]
Website
gpofpa.org

The Green Party of Pennsylvania is the Pennsylvania state party affiliate of the Green Party of the United States. Since 2016, the party is again[ clarification needed ] recognized as a minor political party under Pennsylvania law due to receiving the required voter turnout in the 2016 election. [4] [5]

Contents

As of early 2018, the party has at least 19 members elected to office statewide. [3]

Party platform and ideology

The Green Party of Pennsylvania supports the Ten Key Values of the Green Party of the United States.

The party platform includes: creation of a single payer universal healthcare system, establishment of a living wage, decriminalization of cannabis, a ban on fracking and nuclear energy, investment in sustainable energy such as solar and wind, and improvements to the state election system. [6]

Party structure

The Green Party of Pennsylvania's highest body is the State Committee, made up of delegates from county affiliate parties, and is governed by internal bylaws. In keeping with the Green Party's key value of "decentralization", county affiliates may draft their own bylaws and procedures, including how to nominate and elect delegates to the State Committee. The party also elects a chair, secretary, and treasurer.

In addition to the governing State Committee, the party operates a number of teams for critical functions, including: the Core Committee (formerly Operations), Communications, Finance, and Green Wave. [7]

The Green Party of Pennsylvania nominates electoral candidates by caucus instead of primary elections. [8]

As of early 2018, 24 county chapters are recognized by the state party, the largest of which are the Green Party of Philadelphia, and the Green Party of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh region). [9]

Current elected officials

At least 19 persons affiliated with the party have been elected to office in the state of Pennsylvania. [3]

List of Green Party officials, with position occupied and county of office
OfficialCurrent positionCounty
Jay Ting WalkerPittsburgh Inspector of ElectionsAllegheny County
Tara YaneyEdgewood Borough Council
Jim KellerWest Reading Borough Judge of ElectionsBerks County
David KurzwegCumru Township Judge of Elections
Joseph ReevesCity of Reading Inspector of Elections
Julia ZionMaxatawny Township Judge of Elections
Stuart Chen-HayesNewtown Township Judge of ElectionsBucks County
Paul NotwickBristol Township Judge of Elections
Dave OchmanowiczQuakertown Community School Board
Michael Bagdes-CanningMayor of Cherry Valley [10] Butler County
William PilkonisScranton Judge of ElectionsLackawanna County
Tim RunkleElizabethtown Judge of ElectionsLancaster County
Cem ZeytinogluStroudsburg School BoardMonroe County
Kristin CombsPhiladelphia Judge of ElectionsPhiladelphia County
Olivia FaisonPhiladelphia Inspector of Elections
Ethan LeatherbarrowPhiladelphia Judge of Elections
Kerry FooseLenox Township Judge of ElectionsSusquehanna County
David KennedyOverfield Township AuditorWyoming County
Jay SweeneyFalls Township Auditor

History

Presidential elections

Since 1996, the national Green Party has run a candidate for president of the United States. In 2000, the Green Party of Pennsylvania placed Ralph Nader, the nominee of the Green Party of the United States, on the statewide presidential ballot. The highest vote total came in 2000, when Nader received over 103,000 votes. The lowest vote total came in 2008, when Cynthia McKinney was the nominee. Her campaign received only 71 votes. Nader, who was also on the ballot as an independent candidate, received more than 42,000 votes.

Green Party presidential nominees and votes received in Pennsylvania
YearNomineeVotes (percentage)
2000 Ralph Nader 103,392 (2.10%)
2004 David Cobb 6,319 (0.10%)
2008 Cynthia McKinney 71 (<0.01%)
2012 Jill Stein 21,341 (0.37%)
2016 Jill Stein 49,941 (0.81%)

2006 United States Senate election

In 2006 the Green Party attempted to run Carl Romanelli for the 2006 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania. However, Romanelli was removed from the ballot by Judge James R. Kelley due to insufficient valid signatures on his nominating petition. [11]

2014 state and federal elections

In 2014, the party nominated Paul Glover for governor of Pennsylvania. [12]

2016 presidential election and election audit lawsuit

Dr. Jill Stein was again the party's candidate for president in 2016. [13] Following the election, the Stein campaign filed in Pennsylvania court for a recount, citing insecure electronic voting systems and the lack of paper audit trail. [14] The request was later denied by a federal judge. [15]

2017 elections and lawsuit

In 2017, the previous 2012 Green Party vice presidential candidate Cheri Honkala was nominated for Pennsylvania State Representative in District 197 in Philadelphia for the special election to be held in March 2017. [16] [17]

Shortly after the election, Honkala and the Green Party of Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit alleging voter intimidation and election fraud during the special election and calling for a new election to be held. [18] In April 2018, one official was sentenced to probation for one year due to election misconduct, with the remaining defendants awaiting trial in early May 2018. [19]

In 2017, Jules Mermelstein was the nominee for the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. He received 106,969 votes in the general election, and 1.4% of the vote in a nine-way race with four candidates elected. A number of other candidates also ran for local positions including mayor, township council, and school board.

2018 state and federal elections

In 2018, Paul Glover was nominated for governor of Pennsylvania once again. [20]

Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick was the party nominee for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. [21]

Neal Gale was the party nominee for US Senate. [22]

Brianna Johnston was the party nominee for US Congress in PA-07 (Special Election) [23]

Three other candidates were also endorsed for state office. [24]

2020 state and federal elections and ballot access lawsuit due to COVID-19

In 2020, Timothy Runkle was nominated for state treasurer, Olivia Faison was nominated for auditor general, and Richard L. Weiss, Esq., was nominated for attorney general. [25] Several candidates for state legislative offices were also endorsed. [26]

On May 15, 2020, the party filed suit in the US Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, demanding relief from unconstitutional election laws alleged to be impossible to meet under emergency Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) measures declared by Governor Tom Wolf. [27]

Related Research Articles

The Green Party of the United States (GPUS) is a federation of Green state political parties in the United States. The party promotes green politics, specifically environmentalism; nonviolence; social justice; participatory democracy; grassroots democracy; anti-war; anti-racism. As of 2023, it is the fourth-largest political party in the United States by voter registration, behind the Libertarian Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peace and Freedom Party</span> Socialist political party in the United States

The Peace and Freedom Party (PFP) is a socialist political party in the United States which operates mostly in California. It was formed in 1966 from anti-Vietnam War and pro-civil rights movements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Party of Oklahoma</span> Political party in the United States

The Green Party of Oklahoma is a political party in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was formed in 2002 through a gradual coalition of various state green groups and received its accreditation from the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) in May 2005. Its stated aims are a commitment to environmentalism, non-violence, social justice, and grassroots democracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jill Stein</span> American politician and physician (born 1950)

Jill Ellen Stein is an American physician and activist. She is the Green Party's nominee for president of the United States in the 2024 election, and was previously its candidate in the 2012 and 2016 elections. She was the Green-Rainbow Party's candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 and 2010. Stein is among the list of several women who have run for President of the United States and also one of the few who received over a million votes in the general election behind both Hillary Clinton and Jo Jorgensen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green-Rainbow Party</span> Massachusetts political party

The Green-Rainbow Party (GRP) is the Massachusetts affiliate of the Green Party of the United States and a political designation in Massachusetts officially recognized by the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Up until 2020, it was an officially recognized political party in Massachusetts, losing that status as the result of vote tallies in the November 2020 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howie Hawkins</span> American activist and trade unionist (born 1952)

Howard Gresham Hawkins III is an American trade unionist, environmental activist, and perennial candidate from New York. A co-founder of the Green Party of the United States, Hawkins was the party's presidential nominee in the 2020 presidential election. His ideological platform includes enacting an eco-socialist version of the Green New Deal—which he first proposed in 2010—and building a viable, independent working-class political and social movement in opposition to the country's two major political parties, and capitalism in general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Party of New York</span> New York affiliate of the Green Party

The Green Party of New York is the affiliate of the Green Party of the United States in the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1992 and is a part of the Green Party movement. The Party has had ballot access at various points in its history. It regained ballot status for four years when Howie Hawkins received over 50,000 votes in the 2010 gubernatorial election and retained it for another four years in the 2014 election, when the party moved up to line D, the fourth line on state ballots, passing the Working Families and Independence parties, with 5 percent of the vote. It lost its status as a ballot-qualified political party in New York as of November 2020 when the law governing ballot access was changed requiring a larger number of votes in the Presidential and Gubernatorial elections.

The Green Party of Rhode Island (GPRI) is one of the oldest active Green parties in the United States. The party was founded on March 6, 1992, at a meeting of 40 activists from Rhode Island. In November 1996, GPRI was one of 12 founding parties in the Association of State Green Parties, renamed the Green Party of the United States in 2001. Several Rhode Island party leaders have served as officers of the national Green Party. The party's candidates have run for municipal councils in several cities and towns, such as running for Mayor of Providence, the State Senate and the State House of Representatives, U.S. Congress, and for Lieutenant governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States presidential election in Rhode Island</span>

The 2012 United States presidential election in Rhode Island took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Rhode Island voters chose four electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States presidential election in Utah</span>

The 2012 United States presidential election in Utah took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Utah voters chose six electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheri Honkala</span> American politician (born 1963)

Cheri Lynn Honkala is an American anti-poverty advocate, co-founder of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) and co-founder and National Coordinator of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, also called the Poor People's Army. She has been a noted advocate for human rights in the United States and internationally. She is the mother of actor Mark Webber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Green Party presidential primaries</span>

The 2016 Green Party presidential primaries were a series of primaries, caucuses and state conventions in which voters elected delegates to represent a candidate for the Green Party's nominee for President of the United States at the 2016 Green National Convention. The primaries, held in numerous states on various dates from January to July 2016, featured elections publicly funded and held as an alternative ballot, concurrent with the Democratic and Republican primaries, and elections privately funded by the Green Party, held non-concurrently with the major party primaries. Over 400 delegates to the Green National Convention were elected in these primaries, with a candidate needing a simple majority of these delegates to become the party's nominee for president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania</span>

The 2016 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania took place on November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States elections in which all 50 states and the District of Columbia participated. Pennsylvania voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania</span>

The 2018 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania took place on November 6, 2018, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Pennsylvania, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. This was one of ten Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state that Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election. The primary elections were held on May 15. Incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey Jr. ran for re-election to a third term. Casey, who faced no primary opposition, defeated the Republican nominee, Lou Barletta, Green Party nominee Neal Gale, and Libertarian Party nominee Dale Kerns. Casey was the first senator to be elected to a third term from Pennsylvania since Arlen Specter in 1992, and the first Pennsylvania Democrat to be popularly elected to three terms in the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election</span>

The 2018 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, concurrently with the election of Pennsylvania's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various local elections. Incumbent Governor Tom Wolf won re-election to a second term by a double-digit margin, defeating Republican challenger Scott Wagner and two third-party candidates from the Green Party, Paul Glover and Libertarian Party, Ken Krawchuk. The primary elections were held on May 15. This was the only Democratic-held governorship up for election in a state that Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Green Party presidential primaries</span>

The 2020 Green Party presidential primaries were a series of primary elections, caucuses and state conventions in which voters elected delegates to represent a candidate for the Green Party's nominee for President of the United States at the 2020 Green National Convention. The primaries, were held in numerous U.S. states on various dates from early spring into early summer of 2020, and featured elections publicly funded, concurrent with the Democratic Party and Republican Party primaries, and elections privately funded by the Green Party, held non-concurrently with the major party primaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Pennsylvania elections</span>

Pennsylvania held statewide elections on November 7, 2017, to fill judicial positions on the Supreme Court, Superior Court, and the Commonwealth Court, to allow judicial retention votes, and to fill numerous county, local and municipal offices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States attorney general elections</span>

The 2016 United States attorney general elections were held on November 8, 2016, in 10 states. The previous attorney general elections for eight of the 10 states took place in 2012. The last attorney general elections for Utah and Vermont took place in 2014, as Utah held a special election due to the resignation of John Swallow, while the attorney general of Vermont serves two-year terms. The elections took place concurrently with the 2016 presidential election, elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, and numerous state and local elections.

References

  1. "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Voter Registration Statistics". Pennsylvania Department of State.
  2. "Green Party of the United States – National Committee Voting – Proposal Details". Green Party of the United States. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Elected Officials – Green Party of Pennsylvania". Green Party of Pennsylvania. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  4. Combs, Kristin; Kane, Hillary (November 21, 2016). "The Green Party of Pennsylvania declares victory in the general election". Green Party of the United States. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  5. "Green Party is official". Bucks County Herald. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  6. "Platform – Green Party of Pennsylvania". Green Party of Pennsylvania. June 5, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  7. "Committees". Green Party of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  8. Knapp, Tom (August 21, 2008). "Pa. Greens To Nominate By Caucus ; Some Irked Over Exclusion From Primaries". Intelligencer Journal . Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  9. "Counties" . Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  10. Ochmanowicz, Dave (March 10, 2022). "Michael Bagdes-Canning for PA Lieutenant Governor". Green Party of Pennsylvania. Retrieved March 13, 2022. Bagdes-Canning is a husband, father, and grandfather living in Cherry Valley Borough, Butler County, where he has held elected office for 33 years. He is currently Mayor.
  11. Raffaele, Martha (September 26, 2006). "Green Party Candidate For Senate Off Pa. Ballot". Washington Post. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  12. Foster, Brittany (March 4, 2014). "Green Party Nominates Glover for Governor". Politics PA. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  13. Kalmowitz, Andrew (September 19, 2016). "Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein to visit Penn State on Wednesday". State College, Pennsylvania: The Collegian (Penn State). Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  14. "Stein lawyers Pa recount to court". December 5, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  15. "Federal judge rejects Pa. recount, Green Party calls for changes". Reading, Pennsylvania: WFMZ-TV. December 13, 2016. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  16. Kane, Hillary (February 2, 2017). "Green Party endorses Cheri Honkala". Green Party of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  17. Shaheeli, Joe (February 2, 2017). "POLS ON THE STREET: Honkala's Smart Move". Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Public Record. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  18. "Honkala will sue to void 197th election". Philly Voice. WWB Holdings. March 23, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  19. Hickey, Brian (April 4, 2018). "He shouldn't have worked the polls". Philly Voice. WWB Holdings. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  20. "Glover 2018 – Green Party of Pennsylvania". Green Party of Pennsylvania. April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  21. "Glover 2018". April 4, 2018. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  22. "Neal Gale Announces Run for U.S. Senate in PA - www.gp.org". Green Party of the United States. March 22, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  23. "Candidates 2018". Green Party of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  24. "Green Party of Pennsylvania Nominates Seven Candidates for 2018". Green Party of Pennsylvania. March 28, 2018. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  25. "A Green Pennsylvania". greenslate2020.org. The Green Party of Pennsylvania. June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  26. "Legislative Offices – A Green Pennsylvania". greenslate2020.org. The Green Party of Pennsylvania. June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  27. "PA Green Party Seeks Federal Court Relief from Unconstitutional Election Requirements – Green Party of Pennsylvania". The Green Party of Pennsylvania. May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.