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Greens Celebrate Election Victories CORRECTION: GP.org previously listed James Brooks and Gladys Lyde as Green Party candidates for Brunswick, GA City Commission. Neither candidate ran on the Green Party ticket. We apologize for the error. Green Party of the United States Wednesday, November 9, 2005 Contacts: WASHINGTON, D.C. -- According to early election returns, Greens have won at least 19 races in November 2005, bringing the number of Greens elected in 2005 to 34. Out of eight races in which Green incumbents ran, six won. Four out of five candidates running in California were elected; 66 Greens now hold elected office in this state. Pennsylvania reported the most Green victories (eight) on November 8, with York County counting the most county victories (four) within the state. At least 115 Green candidates competed for office across the U.S. on November 8. The election of Cam Gordon to the Minneapolis City Council and reelection of Annie Young to the Recreation and Parks Board in Minnesota took the sting off the defeat of incumbent Minneapolis Council members Natalie Johnson Lee and Dean Zimmerman, who were victims of a redistricting plan enacted by Democrats for the purpose of removing Greens from public office. There remains the possibility of a recount in Mr. Zimmerman's race, since he lost by only 48 votes. "In Minneapolis, Democrats did exactly what they complain about Republicans doing in states like Texas -- they redrew district lines as a strategem against rival party candidates," said Marc Sanson, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. "Democrats failed when they did this to unseat Maine legislator John Eder in 2004. Whether Republicans or Democrats do it, it's a dirty trick." "We congratulate all our candidates for running, for carrying the Green Party's message, and for moving us closer to ultimate wins all around the U.S.," said Rebecca Rotzler, co-chair of the national party and elected Deputy Mayor of New Paltz, New York. "We look forward to many more great races and new victories in the 2006 midterm election." Greens also congratulated and thanked Maine voters for defeating a ballot initiative that would have repealed the state's new law protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination. They also thanked voters in Takoma, Maryland, for passing a measure to use instant runoff voting in local elections (1192 votes for, 390 against), in an election that used hand-counted paper ballots, thus employing two election reforms promoted by the Green Party. For more details about Green candidates, visit the following sites: Prominent Green victories: Cam Gordon, City Council (Ward 2), Minneapolis, Minnesota: After losing by 108 votes for the same seat in 2001, Mr. Gordon won this year by 141 votes (2481-2340). Annie Young, Parks and Recreation Board (At Large), Minneapolis: Ms. Young was re-elected to her fourth term, her third as a Green. Chuck Turner, City Council, Boston, Massachusetts: Mr. Turner ran unopposed and won with 98.81% of the vote, retaining a Green City Council seat in one of America's largest cities. Susan Hopkins, School Committee (At-Large), Portand, Maine: Ms. Hopkins finished first among three candidates and becomes the fourth Green on the nine member Committee, joining Ben Meiklejohn, Stephen Spring and Jason Toothaker. Portland also boasts the only U.S. Green current state legislator, John Eder, who was elected in 2002 and 2004, and Erek Gaines, Portland Water District, amounting to six Greens holding elected office. Hilary Bradbury-Huang, Board of Trustees, Pasadena City College, California: Ms. Bradbury-Huang finished 1st with 51.1% in a two way race against a well-funded, long-term (28 years) Republican incumbent, winning by 232 votes (5299-5067). Ms. Bradbury Huang's campaign manager Sharon Gilpin, previously managed the victories in the City Council campaigns of Santa Monica Greens Mike Feinstein and Kevin McKeown. Other Green wins: Jim Harvey, Sanitary District Board, Montara Water and Sanitary District, San Mateo, California (incumbent)
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