Success building for Greens across the country

Result summary of 2014 elections
by David McCorquodale, Green Party of Delaware

The most significant electoral achievements recently for the Green Party of the United States were four state parties gained or retained qualified ballot status. In Massachusetts, several Green-Rainbow Party nominees polled in excess of four percent with only three percent needed for ballot status. In New York, Green Party candidate for governor Howie Hawkins received more than triple the needed 50,000 votes and the party moved from line “F” to line “D.” In Ohio, Green Party gubernatorial candidate Anita Rios gained over three percent in her race, well over the required two percent, with the party retaining ballot status through 2018. In Wisconsin, Greens have regained ballot status after losing it in 2010.

Selective State Results

California: At least 38 Greens ran and 23 were elected in November 2014 elections. At least 29 Greens ran in spring 2014 elections, including five for statewide of­fice. Ten Greens were elected. Currently 64 California Greens hold elective office state­wide. The largest offices won were Bruce Del­gado, incumbent, re-elected Mayor of Marina and four Greens elected to city councils. Gayle McLaughlin, two-time termed-out Mayor of Richmond, was elected to its city council.

Wisconsin: In 2014 Greens won four of seven races for county supervisor. They are David Conley, Heidi Wegletner, Leland Pan, and Ron Hardy. There are now a total of ten Greens in elected offices in Wisconsin, in­cluding the four county supervisors in Dane County, where the University of Wisconsin is located.

In the New England region Colleen Reidy was elected to a Fire District in Hart­ford, CN and David Spanagel was elected Town Moderator of Lancaster, Mass.

In Texas, the best result was Erika Mar­tinez’ race for Webb County Commissioner Pct 1 coming in at 42.78 percent. All six Webb County (Laredo) Green candidates polled over 10 percent. Frank Cortez for Webb County Judge, 12.5 percent; Jesus Quiroz for Treasurer, 14.69 percent; Luis Decker for Webb Co. Commissioner Pct. 4, 15.49 percent; Willie Koehn for Webb Coun­ty Justice of the Peace Pct. 2 Pl. 1, 19.57 percent; and Lakshmana “Vish” Viswanath for Webb County Justice of the Peace Pct. 4, 25.48 percent.

Also in Texas, the candidate for Harris County Judge, David B. Collins got 16.62 percent In the Comal County race for County Clerk, Matthew Hanson pulled 10.4 percent, and in the race for Denton County Clerk, Schyler Butler received 17.36 percent. All across the state 15 candidates were in the double digits. More highlights include: In the race for US House of Rep­re­sentatives District 3, Paul Blair, 18 percent; Antonio Diaz for US House of Represen­ta­tives District 21, 14.71 percent; US House #28, Michael Cary, 4.56 percent. In the Texas House of Representatives: District 146, Morgan Bradford, 8.12 percent; District 130 , Art Browning, 9.23 percent; District 123, Paul Ingmundson, 13.72 percent; District 80, Marco Buentello, 10.4 percent, and District 42, Nicholas Serna III, 11.55 percent. Martina Salinas for Railroad Commissioner became the first Green to earn 2 percent in a state­wide race with candidates from all four parties competing.

Colorado: This was the first time since 2002 that the Green Party of Colorado has run a candidate for statewide office. Run­ning for governor, Harry Hempy gained over 23,000 votes (1.2 percent) in his race against much better funded opponents. Gary Swing earned almost 5,000 votes in a hotly contested race in his district. Martin Wirth garnered over 12,000 votes (25 percent) in a very conservative district where his only opposition was a Republican.