Green Party of Pennsylvania explained

Green Party of Pennsylvania
Leader1 Title:Co-Chairs
Leader1 Name:Elizabeth Scroggin and Christina Olson
Leader2 Title:Secretary
Leader2 Name:Kelly Kuzemchak
Leader3 Title:Treasurer
Leader3 Name:Tim Runkle
Membership Year:May 2021
Membership:10,018[1]
Ideology:Green politics
Position:Left-wing[2]
Headquarters:Philadelphia, PA
National:Green Party of the United States
Seats1 Title:Seats in the US Senate
Seats2 Title:Seats in the US House
Seats4 Title:Seats in the State Senate
Seats5 Title:Seats in the State House
Seats6 Title:Elected Officials
Seats6:19 (July 2020)[3]
Colors: Green
State:Pennsylvania
Country:United States

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 recognized as a minor political party under Pennsylvania law due to receiving the required voter turnout in the 2016 election.[4] [5]

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

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.

Official! scope="col"
Current 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 Elections Lancaster 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 Elections Susquehanna County
David KennedyOverfield Township Auditor Wyoming 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)
Ralph Nader103,392 (2.10%)
2004David Cobb6,319 (0.10%)
2008Cynthia McKinney71 (<0.01%)
2012Jill Stein21,341 (0.37%)
2016Jill Stein49,941 (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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Voter Registration Statistics. Pennsylvania Department of State.
  2. Web site: Green Party of the United States – National Committee Voting – Proposal Details . Green Party of the United States . May 24, 2020 . February 12, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200212062949/https://gp.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=835 . dead .
  3. Web site: Elected Officials – Green Party of Pennsylvania . Green Party of Pennsylvania . en . July 23, 2020.
  4. Web site: The Green Party of Pennsylvania declares victory in the general election. Combs. Kristin. Kane. Hillary. November 21, 2016. Green Party of the United States. February 8, 2017.
  5. Web site: Green Party is official . Bucks County Herald . en . February 8, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155453/http://www.buckscountyherald.com/news_stories/11-24-16/Green-Party-official.html . February 11, 2017 . dead . mdy .
  6. Web site: Platform – Green Party of Pennsylvania . Green Party of Pennsylvania . en . June 5, 2008 . April 15, 2018.
  7. Web site: Committees . Green Party of Pennsylvania . April 15, 2018 . April 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180415124850/https://www.gpofpa.org/committees . dead .
  8. Web site: Pa. Greens To Nominate By Caucus ; Some Irked Over Exclusion From Primaries . https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155113/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16330345.html . dead . February 11, 2017 . Knapp . Tom . August 21, 2008 . . en . February 8, 2017.
  9. Web site: Counties. April 15, 2018.
  10. Web site: Ochmanowicz . Dave . Michael Bagdes-Canning for PA Lieutenant Governor . Green Party of Pennsylvania . 13 March 2022 . 10 March 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. News: Raffaele . Martha . Green Party Candidate For Senate Off Pa. Ballot . 19 May 2021 . Washington Post . 26 September 2006.
  12. Web site: Green Party Nominates Glover for Governor. Foster. Brittany. March 4, 2014. Politics PA. en . January 4, 2017.
  13. Web site: Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein to visit Penn State on Wednesday . Kalmowitz. Andrew . September 19, 2016. The Collegian (Penn State) . en . January 4, 2017. State College, Pennsylvania.
  14. Web site: Stein lawyers Pa recount to court. December 5, 2016. April 15, 2018.
  15. Web site: Federal judge rejects Pa. recount, Green Party calls for changes . December 13, 2016 . . January 4, 2017 . . January 5, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170105175906/http://www.wfmz.com/news/federal-judge-rejects-pa-recount-green-party-calls-for-changes/208214036 . dead .
  16. Web site: Green Party endorses Cheri Honkala . Kane . Hillary . February 2, 2017 . Green Party of Pennsylvania . en . February 8, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170211075926/http://www.gpofpa.org/green_party_endorses_cheri_honkala . February 11, 2017 . dead . mdy .
  17. Web site: POLS ON THE STREET: Honkala's Smart Move . Shaheeli . Joe . February 2, 2017. Philadelphia Public Record . en . February 8, 2017. Philadelphia, PA.
  18. Web site: Honkala will sue to void 197th election . Philly Voice . WWB Holdings . March 23, 2017 . April 15, 2018.
  19. Web site: He shouldn't have worked the polls . Hickey . Brian . Philly Voice . WWB Holdings . April 4, 2018 . April 15, 2018.
  20. Web site: Glover 2018 – Green Party of Pennsylvania . Green Party of Pennsylvania . April 4, 2018. April 15, 2018.
  21. Web site: Glover 2018. April 4, 2018. April 15, 2018. May 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011534/https://www.gpofpa.org/candidates2018. dead.
  22. Web site: Neal Gale Announces Run for U.S. Senate in PA - www.gp.org . Green Party of the United States . March 22, 2018 . April 15, 2018.
  23. Web site: Candidates 2018 . Green Party of Pennsylvania . September 25, 2018 . August 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180815192647/https://www.gpofpa.org/candidates2018 . dead .
  24. Web site: Green Party of Pennsylvania Nominates Seven Candidates for 2018 . March 28, 2018 . April 15, 2018 . Green Party of Pennsylvania . May 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011534/https://www.gpofpa.org/candidates2018 . dead .
  25. Web site: A Green Pennsylvania . greenslate2020.org . The Green Party of Pennsylvania . June 17, 2020 . June 17, 2020.
  26. Web site: Legislative Offices – A Green Pennsylvania . greenslate2020.org . The Green Party of Pennsylvania . June 17, 2020 . June 17, 2020.
  27. Web site: PA Green Party Seeks Federal Court Relief from Unconstitutional Election Requirements – Green Party of Pennsylvania . The Green Party of Pennsylvania . May 18, 2020 . June 17, 2020.