Green Party of Pennsylvania
Co-ChairsElizabeth Scroggin and Christina Olson
(job share)
SecretaryKelly Kuzemchak
TreasurerTim Runkle
HeadquartersPhiladelphia, PA
Membership (May 2021)Decrease10,018[1]
IdeologyMajority:

Internal factions:

Political positionLeft-wing[5]
National affiliationGreen 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)[6]
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.[7][8]

As of early 2018, the party has at least 19 members elected to office statewide.[6]

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.[4]

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.[9]

The Green Party of Pennsylvania nominates electoral candidates by caucus instead of primary elections.[10]

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).[11]

Current elected officials

At least 19 persons affiliated with the party have been elected to office in the state of Pennsylvania.[6]

List of Green Party officials, with position occupied and county of office
Official Current position County
Jay Ting Walker Pittsburgh Inspector of Elections Allegheny County
Tara Yaney Edgewood Borough Council
Jim Keller West Reading Borough Judge of Elections Berks County
David Kurzweg Cumru Township Judge of Elections
Joseph Reeves City of Reading Inspector of Elections
Julia Zion Maxatawny Township Judge of Elections
Stuart Chen-Hayes Newtown Township Judge of Elections Bucks County
Paul Notwick Bristol Township Judge of Elections
Dave Ochmanowicz Quakertown Community School Board
Michael Bagdes-Canning Mayor of Cherry Valley[12] Butler County
William Pilkonis Scranton Judge of Elections Lackawanna County
Tim Runkle Elizabethtown Judge of Elections Lancaster County
Cem Zeytinoglu Stroudsburg School Board Monroe County
Kristin Combs Philadelphia Judge of Elections Philadelphia County
Olivia Faison Philadelphia Inspector of Elections
Ethan Leatherbarrow Philadelphia Judge of Elections
Kerry Foose Lenox Township Judge of Elections Susquehanna County
David Kennedy Overfield Township Auditor Wyoming County
Jay Sweeney Falls 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
Year Nominee Votes (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.[13]

2014 state and federal elections

In 2014, the party nominated Paul Glover for governor of Pennsylvania.[14]

2016 presidential election and election audit lawsuit

Dr. Jill Stein was again the party's candidate for president in 2016.[15] 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.[16] The request was later denied by a federal judge.[17]

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.[18][19]

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.[20] 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.[21]

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.[22]

Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick was the party nominee for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania.[23]

Neal Gale was the party nominee for US Senate.[24]

Brianna Johnston was the party nominee for US Congress in PA-07 (Special Election)[25]

Three other candidates were also endorsed for state office.[26]

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.[27] Several candidates for state legislative offices were also endorsed.[28]

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.[29]

References

  1. ^ "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Voter Registration Statistics". Pennsylvania Department of State.
  2. ^ "Ten Key Values". The Green Party of the United States. Archived May 28, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "progressivism | Definition, History, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica.
  4. ^ a b "Platform – Green Party of Pennsylvania". Green Party of Pennsylvania. June 5, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Green Party of the United States – National Committee Voting – Proposal Details". Green Party of the United States.
  6. ^ a b c "Elected Officials – Green Party of Pennsylvania". Green Party of Pennsylvania. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Green Party is official". Bucks County Herald. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  9. ^ "Committees". Green Party of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "Counties". Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Raffaele, Martha (September 26, 2006). "Green Party Candidate For Senate Off Pa. Ballot". Washington Post. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  14. ^ Foster, Brittany (March 4, 2014). "Green Party Nominates Glover for Governor". Politics PA. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ "Stein lawyers Pa recount to court". December 5, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ Shaheeli, Joe (February 2, 2017). "POLS ON THE STREET: Honkala's Smart Move". Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Public Record. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  20. ^ "Honkala will sue to void 197th election". Philly Voice. WWB Holdings. March 23, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  21. ^ Hickey, Brian (April 4, 2018). "He shouldn't have worked the polls". Philly Voice. WWB Holdings. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  22. ^ "Glover 2018 – Green Party of Pennsylvania". Green Party of Pennsylvania. April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  23. ^ "Glover 2018". April 4, 2018. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ "Candidates 2018". Green Party of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  26. ^ "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.
  27. ^ "A Green Pennsylvania". greenslate2020.org. The Green Party of Pennsylvania. June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  28. ^ "Legislative Offices – A Green Pennsylvania". greenslate2020.org. The Green Party of Pennsylvania. June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  29. ^ "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.

External links

Green Party of the United States
Categories