Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
This release is online at http://www.gp.org/the_green_party_recognizes_five_candidates_for_the_green_presidential_nomination
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, starlene@gp.org
Rich Zitola, Co-Chair of the Presidential Campaign Support Committee, 617-543-2579, rich@zeeprime.com
Holly Hart, Co-Chair of the Presidential Campaign Support Committee, 319-331-9616, hhart11@gmail.com
The Green Party recognizes five candidates for the Green presidential nomination
• The Green Party will hold its 2016 National Convention in Houston, Aug. 4-7
• Presidential Candidates page: http://www.gp.org/2016_presidential_candidates
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Green Party of the United States has recognized five candidates for the party's presidential nomination.
The presidential and vice-presidential nominees will be chosen at the 2016 Green Presidential Nominating Convention, which will take place in Houston, Texas, from August 4 to 7.
The five candidates are:
• Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza-Curry ( http://www.facebook.com/skcmcurryforpresident )
• Jill Stein ( http://www.jill2016.com )
• Darryl Cherney ( http://www.feelthechern.com )
• William P. Kreml ( http://www.billkreml.org )
• Kent Mesplay ( http://mesplay.org )
For contact information, see the candidates' web sites or the Green Party's Presidential Candidates page ( http://www.gp.org/2016_presidential_candidates ).
In the 2012 election, the Green Party had presidential ballot lines in 37 states including the District of Columbia, reaching 82% of voters. As of January 1, 2016, the Green Party is already on the ballot in 22 states, is actively petitioning in eight other states, and is aiming for ballot lines in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
As of December 30, the Green Party's Presidential Campaign Support Committee determined that all five had sufficiently met the requirements to be officially recognized by the party.
Requirements for recognition include evidence of support from at least 100 party members across the country, completion of a questionnaire stating the campaign's main issues and strategy, and a pledge to appear on all available state Green Party ballot lines ( http://gpus.org/national-committee/rules-and-procedures-of-the-green-party-of-the-united-states/#10 ).
Green presidential contenders must also file with the FEC and meet
fundraising milestones in order to maintain recognized status ( http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/candcmte_info.shtml ).
The requirements for recognition are meant to show a candidate's level of campaign organization, campaign strategy, and positions on issues, and help the party determine which candidates are seriously seeking the nomination.
The process helps state Green Parties decide which candidates to place before their members during the 2016 primaries and at statewide conventions and caucuses in preparation for the nominating convention. Each state Green Party has its own procedure for apportioning delegates. (See http://gpus.org/other-committes/presidential-campaign-support/how-seek-green-presidential-nomination-2016 )
The Green Party has demanded that Green presidential nominees be allowed to participate in post-nomination debates and is currently a plaintiff in two lawsuits against the Commission on Presidential Debates (see http://www.gp.org/newsroom/press-releases/details/4/797 and http://gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=819 ).
The Green nominees in previous presidential election years were Dr. Stein and Cheri Honkala (2012), Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente (2008), David Cobb and Pat LaMarche (2004), and Ralph Nader and Winona LaDuke (2000 and 1996).
