21 responses so far ↓

• 1 Morgan Brykein // Nov 6, 2009 at 1:49 pm

  Third party candidates do best at the very local level. All they have to do is drop the stigma against career politicians and run for higher office once their terms come to a close.

• 2 Kimberly Wilder // Nov 6, 2009 at 2:08 pm

  Third party candidates do WHAT best at the local level?

  That is the question.

  The answer is the reason that we need third party candidates at all levels.

  
  Kimberly

• 3 Don Lake, late at night // Nov 6, 2009 at 2:29 pm

  As effective and engraining that the Loyal Opposition can be at the local [long term reformer Janice Miller/ Mrs Urban Hernandez as long term city official in Oldsmar, FLorida] it is the high profile of the bigger offices, via H. Ross Perot.

  Every one ‘knows’ Perot, no one out side of the dysfunctional Reform Party of FLorida has heard of Janice ………..

• 4 Morgan Brykein // Nov 6, 2009 at 3:30 pm

  The third parties need to start somewhere, and instead of putting so much effort towards running for senator, governor, or president, they should work from the ground-up.

• 5 Brent McMillan // Nov 6, 2009 at 5:17 pm

  More Wins:

  California

  Jason Rothman won his race for Board of Education, Pomona Unified School District, Los Angeles County. He finished first of three candidates for one seat with 2,113 votes or 37%.
  http://rrccmain.co.la.ca.us/0019_UnifiedSchools_Frame.htm

  Colorado

  Charlie Green was re-elected to School Board District E, Fremont RE-3, Fremont County. No one filed to run against him so the election was canceled.

  Connecticut

  Daphne Dixon won her write-in race for Fairfield Board of Appeals Alternate (4 yr. seat).
  There were two candidates that filed for three seats. She ran as a write-in and got the third seat with 14 votes or 0.15%.
  http://www.fairfieldct.org/vote-results-2009.htm

  John Russell won his race for New London City Council, New London County. He finished third of 14 candidates for seven seats with 1,638 votes.

  Leif Smith was re-elected to Redding Constable, Fairfield County, CT. There were six candidates for six seats.

  Ronna Stuller was elected to New London Board of Education, New London County. She finished fifth of fourteen candidates for seven seats with 1,434 votes.

  Iowa

  Ray Meyer, state treasurer for the Iowa Green Party, was elected to Chariton City Council, Lucas County, IA. Ray finished first of three candidates for three seats with 118 votes or 34.30%.

  # # # #

• 6 Kimberly Wilder // Nov 6, 2009 at 6:11 pm

  Morgan –

  If you meditate on it, it is actually oppressive to tell people they shouldn’t or can’t run at the higher levels.

  If someone is not interested in local politics (or, heck, likes their local politicians) and wants to address national politics, what should a party do? A party should want to have varied activities for people with varied interests. Even if the interest is in varied levels of government.

  Same thing with candidates. What if the party wants to focus on town races. But, a member of a town party wants to run for Congress. Do you tell them know? Tell them they can’t be on the website of the party they belong to?

  Instead of telling other people how to play the game, or so many people trying to steer everything the way they think is best, everyone should just do what they want, help with who and what interests them. And, when there is a disagreement about party resources, have a fair and quick vote to decide where they go.

  Anyway, the glamor of the Presidential race is something that helps build parties. If you took that away, a party would have much smaller mailing lists, much less press attention, and a lot fewer people. Some people only notice the Presidential.

• 7 Ross Levin // Nov 6, 2009 at 6:23 pm

  No one’s oppressing anyone else. It’s just a disagreement in political beliefs. And it’s possible to advise people and explain the situation to them without forcing them to do anything.

  Personally, I believe third parties should focus more on the local level, although I see why people favor the national level as well. I think third parties need more credibility and electoral victories, and they go hand-in-hand, and they’re both most likely to come at the local level.

• 8 Third Party Revolution // Nov 6, 2009 at 6:31 pm

  Well Ross, as it can be seen with these multiple victories, third parties are focusing on local issues a lot.

• 9 Morgan Brykein // Nov 6, 2009 at 9:04 pm

  Nobody is oppressing. I’m just saying that usually the people who win elections for Congress or senator have prior experience. Most members of Congress have had some prior office, whether it be city council, mayor, or local party chairman.

  If someone wants to run for governor, no problem. But they probably will have little to no chance of winning. The best strategy is to work your way up.

  And the “glamor” campaigns only take away from party credibility. If someone’s going to run for Congress as a Libertarian, they better put serious effort into breaking past the media smokescreen. Same with presidential candidates.

• 10 Green Party Fan // Nov 6, 2009 at 11:59 pm

  Good work here.

  Thank you and Green Party for summary.

  These Green Party people were elected.

  To often in the idiom “won” is misused in this context.

  People are elected to office.

  Using the verb “to win” is more approriate and accurate for sports.

  thanks again for the story..

• 11 Al // Nov 7, 2009 at 7:07 am

  May I suggest the free ebook “Why Your City Council Makes Dumb Decisions and What You Can Do About It.”

  This free ebook can be found at http://www.AcademyOfLocalPolitics.Com

• 12 Green Party Fan // Nov 7, 2009 at 7:33 pm

  Also posted at Ballot access news:

  Virginia’s Independent Greens (IG) of Virginia had 27 endorsee/nominees for House of Delegates (out of 100 seats). The most ever.

  Virginia’s Indy Greens are a state affiliate of Michael Bloomberg’s Independence Party of New York, where the re-elected mayor received about 25% of his votes on the Independence Party ballot line. Both Indy state parties are affiliates of Jesse Ventura’s Independence Party of Minnesota.

  Indy Greens are an inclusive state party supporting all Indy and third party candidates.

  Results by District

  9th – Sherman “for Rail” Witcher received 20.7% of vote in two way race.

  12th – Paul Cornett got 34% of the vote, also two way race.

  18th – Todd Jack 17% in three way race.

  19th – William Smith 15%, three way race.

  28th – Craig “for Rail” Ennis 24.5%, two way race.

  29th – Aaron Tweedie 20%, two way race

  30th – Matt Carson 25%, two way race

  37th – Anna Marie “for Rail” Choi 7%, three candidates on ballot.

  39th – Col. Jim “for Rail ” Leslie 1%, four way race.

  41st – Monique “for Rail” Berry 2%, three way race.

  44th – Gail “for Rail” Parker 2%, three way race.

  47th – Josh Reubner (Green Party) 4%, three way race.

  57th – Robert Smith 21%, two way race.

  59th – Watkins Abbitt – re-elected.

  64th – Col. Albert “for Rail” Burchkard 2%, three way race.

  65th – Gary Reinhardt 29%, two way race.

  68th – William “for Rail” Grogan 30%, two way race.

  69th – Shirley Harvey 6%, three way.

  70th – Otis Brown 22%, two way.

  71st – Silver Persinger 17% two way race.

  82nd – John Parmele 4% in three way.

  85th – French Mackes 18% in two way race.

  89th – Trip Triplin 18% in two way race.

  91st – Gordon Hesel 35% in three way race.

  100th- John W. Smith 1% in three way race.

• 13 Mike Indiana // Nov 8, 2009 at 2:44 am

  Green Party Fan ,
  How many if any of the candidates you listed were actually candidates of the Independent Greens of Virginia (IG)?

  Unsolicited Endorsements do not count!

  How many appeared on the ballot as “Independent Greens” (IG)

  In many ways your post is incredibly dishonest making it appear as though the Indy Greens fielded a sizable number of candidates (most are merely endorsed candidates) and trying to steal what little limelight these independent, Green, Libertarian, and Constitution party candidates and there supporters earned.

  Also ,
  “Michael Bloomberg’s Independence Party of New York”

  This is a lie and you know it! Bloomberg is a registered Independent not a member of the Independence Party! He may have appeared on there ballot line but he also appeared on two others (3 in total – Rep, Independence, and some party he created special for the election)

  Petty deceptive behavior such as this only serves to hurt third parties and Independent candidates, who have a hard enough time establishing credibility with the mass of voters, without egocentric groups such as the Indy Greens telling fanciful tales.

• 14 Don Lake, late at night // Nov 8, 2009 at 12:02 pm

  Mike Indiana // Nov 8, 2009 ;

  Thx, your words, my thots

  since 2007!

  We need to be more ethical than

  the Dems and GOP —– not less!

• 15 Green Party Fan // Nov 8, 2009 at 12:33 pm

  Mike Indiana,

  The Independent Greens of Virginia executive committee, state chairman, state vice chair, and state campaign coordinator personally met with every one of the endorsed candidates.

  Independent Greens worked in or on every campaign.

  Over the years Indy Greens have formed alliances with libertarians, constitutionalists, and independents across the state.

  You can look it up. William Grogan, who recieved 30 per cent of the vote in Richmond, was on the ballot as an Indy Green endorsed Indy. Bill was an Indy Green elector in 2008. There are many other cases but I don’t have time now to go into them.

  Regarding Bloomberg in New York.

  Bottom line is this, he received over 25 per cent of his vote on the Independence Party ballot line.

  In the mind of the voter, and me that makes it Bloomberg’s Independence Party of New York.

  Thanks.

• 16 Virginia Green // Nov 8, 2009 at 4:34 pm

  According to http://www.VPAP.org

  The Independent Greens of Virginia not only endorsed many of these candidates, the supported their campaigns with $$$.

  That’s easy to see on http://www.VPAP.org

  VPAP by the way does an outstanding service for Virginians by showing the source of all political contributions.

  Another point the earlier writer seems to miss.

  The Independent Greens have long worked for and endorsed Independents and other third parties across Virginia.

• 17 Green Pictures // Nov 8, 2009 at 10:43 pm

  Found these photos of many of the Indy candidates on the ballot with the Indy Greens at their web site.

  picture proof
  http://www.VoteJoinRun.US

• 18 Third Party Revolution // Nov 8, 2009 at 11:12 pm

  That’s good enough proof for me.

• 19 Mike Indiana // Nov 9, 2009 at 1:13 pm

  Virginia Green,
  “The Independent Greens of Virginia not only endorsed many of these candidates, the supported their campaigns with $$$.”

  Another lie the party never gave a cent to candidates (maybe people in the party did but not the state party). If one goes to the official source of campaign finance info for Virginia the state database one can see the party itself has not even filed a campaign finance report for 2009. Here is a listing of all state p0litical committees filing in 2009.
  http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Campaign_Finance_Disclosure/View_Disclosure_Reports/CF_Reports_Cidate_Committee.asp?CommVal=ALL&RepYearVal=2009&tCNVal=&tCCVal=&tCSVal=&tCZVal=&tCOVal=&tCBDVal=&tCEDVal=&tCAFVal=&tCATVal=&tCCSOptVal=EqualTo&SUWVVal=CommitteeActiveView

  The party does have a Independent Green Ballot Access Committee which has filed but has given exactly ZERO to candidates.
  http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Campaign_Finance_Disclosure/View_Disclosure_Reports/CF_Reports_Report_Codes.asp?SUWVVal=CommitteeActiveView&RepYearVal=2009&tCNVal=&tCCVal=&tCSVal=&tCZVal=&tCOVal=&tCBDVal=&tCEDVal=&tCAFVal=&tCATVal=&tCCSOptVal=EqualTo&OffVal=&PtyVal=&CommVal=982566

  Once again the FACTS show the truth, the Indy Greens lie. This is why the link provided to support there (financial support) claims only went to a non-official sites homepage rather then specific info.

• 20 Mike Indiana // Nov 9, 2009 at 1:26 pm

  Green Party Fan
  “You can look it up. William Grogan, who recieved 30 per cent of the vote in Richmond, was on the ballot as an Indy Green endorsed Indy”

  I did look it up and the state of Virginia lists William Grogan as a Independent – also no mention is made of his Indy Green endorsement.
  http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/documents/List_of_Cidates_By_Office_District%5BHOD%5D.pdf

  If Michael Bloomberg is considered a part of the Independence party because he is listed on the ballot as such, then by your logic William Grogan is to be considered an Independent, you can’t have it both ways! The vast majority of voters never hear of your so called endorsement they only see whats on the ballot and that does not say Independent Green.

  Why don’t you stop telling lies, and blowing smoke. When people check out your story by searching out specific facts they find out the Indy Greens play fast and loose with the truth.

  If you want to be believed provide verifiable info and a source other then the parties website (the website can’t be trusted because the party can’t be trusted). This would be a welcome change from your unverified claims, which when dug into prove the Indy Greens live in a fantasy world.

• 21 Dave Schwab // Nov 9, 2009 at 4:18 pm

  The only Green candidates in Virginia were Josh Ruebner and John Reeder. The Independent Green Party was banned from Green Party Watch after a candidate who they endorsed and claimed to represent complained that he had nothing to do with them. The real Green Party does not support Michael Bloomberg, his policies, or his contempt for democracy.

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