Gayle McLaughlin – the mayor of Richmond, CA, which is the largest city in America with a Green mayor – will be up for re-election this November for the first time. In 2006, she was elected by a margin of just a few hundred votes.
McLaughlin has recently been in the news for supporting a city government boycott of Arizona over the recently passed immigration law and supporting higher taxes in an ongoing controversy with Chevron.
In late April, McLaughlin spoke to a crowd of about 200 to formally announce that she would be running again. National leaders Van Jones, formerly of the Obama administration and advocate for civil rights and green jobs, and Nativo Lopez-Vigil, president of the Mexican American Political Association, spoke in favor of McLaughlin as well. Videos are posted below.
@ Ross
Gene is right, all local elections in California are non partisan. All the municipal elections I’ve voted for have been non partisan.
Hopefully she’ll run for higher office in the future as a Green, like for the Assembly or Congress. The best way for third party candidates to gain recognition, is if their candidates have prior political experience. She has a serious chance, since the Congressional district is heavily Democratic (see: liberal). Vote splitting would not be an issue.
Ross,
Yes, all local elections in California are on a non-partisan ballot. That means no party labels on the ballot, and a party nomination will not get you on the ballot – you need to file nomination papers and pay a filing fee.
Since the 1980s County Committees of political parties have been able to endorse in local races, and a candidate can make his or her party affiliation known, but the election itself is conducted on a non-partisan basis.
Gene, are you sure it’s nonpartisan in Richmond? I remember reading that McLaughlin was elected in a partisan election.
Point of information – local elections in California – for cities, counties and school districts – are conducted on a non-partisan ballot. No party labels on the ballot, and candidates qualify by paying a filing fee and submitting nomination papers.
Normally, there is a run-off with the top two candidates if nobody gets 50% or more in the primary. Greens & Libertarians have been elected to local office in California because of non-partisan elections.
Green Party Watch is running an open thread tonight on the U.K. elections.
from there a report the BBC is reporting the Green Party has directly elected it’s first ever member to Westminister…
Excited BBC reporter – live from Brighton Pavilion — “They’re predicting here that Caroline Lucas will win the first every Green Party seat in Westminister tonight….Official results have not started to be counted yet…But Green Party leaders tell me they had 200 people going door to door today. Many committed Green Party voters received as many as 3 telephone calls today to remind them to get to the polls. Greens were out on bicycles, motorpads, and lorries picking up constituents and taking them to the polls to vote for the Green Party leader Caroline Lucas. Veterans are calling it the best, and strongest Green Party campaign ever…”
http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2010/05/06/2010-uk-election-open-thread-live-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-10189
Gayle McLaughlin – has been a Great Green Party mayor.
This election is sure to be a struggle.
Good luck to the Green Party’s Gayle McLaughlin!