Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

SANTA MONICA -- Santa Monica's Green Mayor Mike Feinstein submits the possibility that Green Party gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo will have the highest percentage of votes for a Green Party gubernatorial candidate in the US in 2002, based upon his polling strength so far.

The previous high number of votes for a California Green gubernatorial candidate was Dan Hamburg, with 104,117 (1.3%) in 1998. Hamburg's vote total is also the highest for any U.S. Green gubernatorial candidate. "Camejo is likely to set the new standard for most votes," says Feinstein.

If Camejo can garner 5% of 8 million votes cast (a low estimate in case of low turnout), that would equal 400,000 votes. In 1998, there were 8,382,868 votes cast for Governor. By contrast, Green party presidential candidate Ralph Nader received 418,717 (3.9%) of the 10,965,865 votes cast in November 2000.

Nationally, the highest percentage of votes for a Green gubernatorial candidate for Governor was gotten by Roberto Mondragon (NM) with 10.4% (47,080 votes) in 1994, followed by Pat LaMarche (ME) with 6.8% (28,722 votes) in 1998.

Greens are showing strong in races for other offices as well. Green activist and founder of Global Exchange, Medea Benjamin, received 325,828 votes (3.1%) for U.S. Senate in 2000, and Green candidates Margaret Garcia and Sara Amir received respectively 313.976 (3.9%) for Secretary of State in 1994 and
247,702 (3.1%) for Lt. Governor in 1998.

Mayor Feinstein is optimistic about setting Green victory records this year."At minimum, we already have eight guaranteed victories in November," says Mayor Feinstein. "We also had four victories in the spring, giving us a minimum of at least12 in the year."

In the case of a Nevada County school board, Greens are achieving majority standing. Feinstein explains, "Nevada County Greens will host the nation's first Green School Board majority. Incumbent Greens DeOnne Noel and Sandra Ventura Scott are already guaranteed re-election to the Twin Ridges Elementary School Board by virtue of being the only two candidates in the race for three seats. Two Greens are now contesting the remaining seat. This will mean three out of five seats will be held by Greens."

Greens are thriving in other areas of the state as well. Three California Counties have reached at least 5% in Green voter registration: Humboldt 6.96%, Mendocino 5.83% and Santa Cruz 4.99%.

In 2002 at least 77 California Greens sought elected office.

Will the GPCA reach a record number of victories in 2002? Feinstein does the numbers. "The previous high was 19 victories in 2000. Since there are already 12 victories in 2002, if at least eight more Greens were elected, that would do it. So it is likely that 2002 will be the highest year of GPCA victories."

Racial Diversity in GPCA candidates is in keeping with the Green's Ten Key Values. Nine California candidates are other than white.

As pre-election excitement about Green candidacies grows, so does Green voter regisration in California, up 3,788 -- 2.57% in the 30 days preceding October 9th.

There are now a record 151,031 Californians registered Green, making up 1% of all Californians registered to vote.

California is one of only three states â€“ Alaska (1.025%), Maine (1.19%) and New Mexico (1.2%), along with the District of Columbia (1.2%) - to have reached the 1% threshold. California's population of 35 million people dwarfs that of the other three states and DC combined, making its 1% that much more impressive.

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