Deacon Alexander, former Black Panthers member, announces candidacy for governor of California posted by Gregg Jocoy Jan 5:

In a press release issued via PR Newswire, Los Angles Green Party member Deacon Alexander announced his intent to seek the Green Party nomination for Governor of California. Much of the press release concerns an Academy Award ® qualified feature film, Punctured Hope.

Voting machine lobbyist admits to fixing Green Party election posted by Gregg Jocoy Jan 5:

In an article at the New York Post, Election Systems & Software lobbyist Anthony Mangone admits that he altered Green Party ballots in an effort to help Republican state senator Nicholas Spano win the Green Party’s nomination. New York is a fusion state.

Mangone testified that he opened up about 30 Green Party ballots, filled them in, “sealed them up” and then had them sent to the Board of Elections, the Journal News reported at the time.

Spano won the Green Party primary by a thin margin, but lost his seat years later.

More international Green Party news posted January 5th, 2010 by Gregg Jocoy:

According to Newsweek, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France may be a “dead man walking”. The article, in part, credits the Green Party’s success in recent European Union elections as well as court rulings that Sarkozy’s carbon tax proposal violates their constitution.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Iran requested a visit by a European delegation, and at the last moment asked that the visit be postponed. According to the article, German Green Party leader Barbara Lochbihler says members of Iranian civil-rights groups have asked her to proceed with the visit despite international criticism. Media attention fueled by criticism from U.S. lawmakers and individual members of the European Parliament gave Iran an “excuse” to postpone the visit, according to Lochbihler.

Finally, the Irish Times is reporting that Green Party Minister of Finance, Brian Lenihan, has announced that he is battling cancer. Placing principal before personality, Lenihan said yesterday that he hoped opposition finance spokespeople would continue their critique of Government policy, adding that the last thing he would want was for them to feel inhibited by his medical condition.

Carlisle Greens oppose Sunday sales posted January 5th, 2010 by Gregg Jocoy:

According to the News and Star, the Green Party in Carlisle, England, is opposed to a proposal to lengthen shopping hours next year during the holiday season.

Legislation restricts larger stores, any over 3,000 square feet, to opening for six hours anytime between 10am and 6pm.

Boxing Day 2010 (December 26th) falls on a Sunday and so retailers are asking for the law to be relaxed, arguing that in the current climate it has become one of the most important days of the year.

Agnew to run as Green posted January 5th, 2010 by Gregg Jocoy:

No, not the former Vice President Spiro Agnew. The candidate in question is Steven Agnew, and the Green Party of Ireland has selected him to run for Parliament from North Down at the next general election. The BBC has details at their site.

Eugene Platt ballot access case gets coverage. State Supreme Court to hear case Jan. 6th posted January 4th, 2010 by Gregg Jocoy:

The Charleston Post and Courier is carrying story about Eugene Platt and his appeal to the South Carolina Supreme Court to protect his free speech rights, and the same rights for the South Carolina Green Party.

Platt had sought the Green Party and Working Families Party nomination in spring of 2008. He was nominated by both parties, and Platt’s nomination by the Democratic Party in a primary would seem to make his election all the more likely. South Carolina is one of the states which permit fusion voting.

However, when the Democratic Party primary was held, Anne Peterson Hutto won the nomination. The South Carolina Green Party assured Platt that he was their nominee, and the November election was expected to be a three way race.

The Democratic Party, in the form of Charleston County chair George Tempel, sued to keep Platt off the ballot. Platt had signed a pledge that he would not seek write-in votes nor seek nomination by petition should he lose the primary. Platt was represented by the Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. Despite the fact that Platt had not violated any of the actual terms of the pledge, as he was not seeking nomination by petition nor write-in votes, the court in Charleston ruled in favor of Tempel.

The state supreme court will hear oral arguments this Wednesday in Columbia. Several members of the South Carolina Green Party steering committee will be in attendance.