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Greens Achieve Ballot Status in NE; Celebrate Early 2005 Wins in Illinois and Wisconsin. Monday, April 11, 2005 Contacts: Endorsements pour in for high-profile Oakland (California) City Council candidate Aimee Allison; Greens, facing intense challenges from Democrats, win reelection in Madison, Wisconsin. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- While Greens in some Midwestern states advanced in key early 2005 elections and a ballot status victory in Nebraska, Green candidates throughout the U.S. have begun to launch campaigns in important races later this year. So far in 2005, 46 Greens have declared their candidacy for 18 kinds of office in 13 states, with 9 victories in winter and early spring elections. NEBRASKA: The state of Nebraska has granted recognition to the Nebraska Green Party after Greens handed in signatures to restore their ballot access on March 15. The successful petition effort gives the Green Party full ballot status in District 1 (Lincoln and surrounding areas). Nebraska grants ballot status by district; Nebraska Greens still need to collect signatures for Districts 2 and 3 and expect to accomplish this in the summer. ILLINOIS: Over 45,000 votes were cast for Green candidates in Illinois's general election on April 5, 2005, in which two of seven Green candidates won local races. Anna Lempart, a 19 year old student from Urbana, Illinois was elected to the Champaign-Ford Regional Board of School Trustees. Scott Summers, an attorney from Harvard, Illinois, was elected to the McHenry County College Board of Trustees. WISCONSIN: In a city council general election in Madison on April 5, three Green Party incumbents won reelection despite an unprecedented vote suppression campaign funded by the county Democratic Party, leaders of the Chamber of Commerce, and the realtors association. Ald. Austin King won 78% of the vote, Ald. Brian Benford won 55%, and popular Madison Council President Brenda Konkel was unopposed in her reelection bid. The Democratic-Chamber of Commerce smear campaign did claim several Green victims, however. Despite spirited grassroots efforts, Lori Nitzel and Sarah King lost their races with 43% and 45% each. The Democrat-funded automated phoning and a negative direct-mail campaign suggested that an "ultra-liberal" political party was about to "seize control" of Madison, and made thinly veiled references to one candidate's sexual orientation in urging voters to support candidates who "share our values." Observers believe that the main purpose and effect of the last-minute negative campaigning was to suppress progressive voter turnout. Indeed, Madison turnout was an all-time low for a city council election. Some local Democratic Party activists have quit their party in disgust since Tuesday. In other Wisconsin elections news, Ald. Peter Karas of Racine fended off a Democratic challenger, winning 73% of the vote, and first-time candidate Chris Kratochwill won a respectable 33% of the vote against 16-year Democratic incumbent Ken Golden on Madison's west side. All of the Green Party candidates in Madison received endorsements from the American Federation of Teachers, and in some cases, from other unions. Most also received the backing of the Sierra Club and the Affordable Housing Action Alliance. No Democrat running against a Green received an endorsement from any of those organizations, or from the local labor council. CALIFORNIA: Aimee Allison has emerged as a high-profile Green candidate for Oakland City Council (District 2). Ms. Allison Aimee, an African-American military veteran and 12-year resident of Oakland, has collected endorsements from the Sierra Club, Oakland Teachers Association, and numerous labor and civic leaders, as well as from other prominent Greens, including San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, former Supervisor Matt Gonzalez, 2004 vice presidential candidate PatLaMarche, and 2003 California gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo. For a list of endorsers, visit <http://www.aimeeallison.org/Endorsement2_04_08.php>. MORE INFORMATION
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