Green Party of Louisiana

The Green Party of Louisiana is a state-level political party affiliated with the Green Party of the United States (GPUS). The nominee of the GPUS has been on every presidential ballot in the state since 1996.

Green Party of Louisiana
French nameParti Vert de la Louisiane
ChairpersonNaima Gayles &
Christopher Stella
Founded2002 (2002)
IdeologyGreen politics
National affiliationGreen Party of the United States
ColorsGreen
Website
Official website

The 2014 convention of the Green Party of Louisiana was held in New Orleans and featured former presidential nominee Jill Stein. The party's 2015 convention was held in Abita Springs, Louisiana.[1]

History

The Green Party of Louisiana was founded during a two-day convention which took place on August 31 and September 1, 2002, in New Orleans.[2] The party was recommended for accreditation with the GPUS in 2003[3] and was officially qualified by the State of Louisiana on August 8, 2005.[4]

In 2016, Dr. Jill Stein was the party's nominated candidate for president.[5]

Candidates
Photo of Malik Rahim
Publicity photo for Malik Rahim's campaign for City Council At-Large. New Orleans 2001.

In 2001, former Black Panther Party member and community organizer Malik Rahim ran for New Orleans City Council (at-large). Although the Green Party had not achieved ballot status in Louisiana, his candidacy was supported and endorsed by the nascent party, and the press recognized Rahim as a Green. His platform centered on criminal justice reform, workers rights (including a living wage referendum), and housing issues.[6]

In 2003, the party fielded three candidates. Jason Neville ran for Louisiana State Senate in District 3, the first Green to qualify for state office.[7] He finished in third place with 1,528 votes.[8] Dan Thompson ran for Louisiana House of Representatives in District 105 and garnered 1,152 votes, finishing fourth (8%).[9][10] Les Evenchick also ran for a House seat in District 93 and garnered 754 votes.[9][11]

In 2008, Rahim was the Green Party's nominee for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district. His campaign included promises to enforce the Davis-Bacon Act, to push for reopening Charity Hospital, and to protect wetlands.[12] The post-Katrina "right of return" for displaced residents was also a major theme.[13] He finished third in a four-way race with 1,883 votes (2.82%).[14][15]

A special election was held for Louisiana's 5th congressional district in 2013, and Eliot Barron ran for the office on the Green ticket, finishing 12th (out of 14) with 492 votes (0.5%).[16] Barron ran again for the same office in 2014, finishing in 9th and last place with 1,655 votes (0.69%).[17]

In 2015, Adrian "Ace" Juttner ran for Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, the first Green to seek statewide office in Louisiana. He ran a low-budget campaign,[18] on a platform which emphasized the benefits of legalizing marijuana and protecting honeybees.[19] Although he finished in fourth place, with 36,180 votes (3.5%),[20] this marked the Green Party's strongest showing in Louisiana to date, in terms of total votes or percentage, surpassing even Nader's 2000 presidential run (see below).

Barron again sought congressional office in 2016, this time in Louisiana's 1st district; he finished in 6th place (out of 7) with 6,717 votes (2.1%).[21]

In 2018, Morgan Moss Jr. ran for mayor of Rayville and finished second in a field of three with 219 votes, representing 37% of the vote.[22]

In 2021, Bart Everson ran for New Orleans City Council At-Large as a "climate change activist."[23] He got 6.51% or 4,776 votes.[24]

Advocacy

After the 2016 Louisiana floods, the party called for "the rapid elimination of the fossil fuel economy" in the face of climate catastrophe.[25]

Presidential nominee results
Year Nominee Votes
1996 Ralph Nader 4,719 (0.26%)[26]
2000 Ralph Nader 20,473 (1.16%)
2004 David Cobb 1,276 (0.10%)
2008 Cynthia McKinney 9,187 (0.47%)
2012 Jill Stein 6,978 (0.35%)
2016 Jill Stein 14,018 (0.7%)

References
  1. Rhoden, Robert (January 25, 2015). "Green Party of Louisiana to hold annual meeting in Abita Springs". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  2. GPL Founding Convention photo album
  3. "Louisiana Accreditation". Green Party of the United States. Retrieved 2017-01-18. RECOMMENDATION: The Accreditation Committee has reviewed the Green Party of Louisiana application and supporting materials, and finds that the Party satisfies GPUS's accreditation criteria.
  4. Filing photo
  5. Morris, Robert (30 November 2016). "After election, New Orleans Greens seek to build party through local focus – starting in Gretna". Mid-City Messenger. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  6. Russell, Gordon (2001-12-01). "Green Party activist enters race for council". The Times-Picayune.
  7. "Jason Neville To Formally Enter State Senate Race on Tuesday". NOLA Indymedia. 2003-08-18.
  8. "Louisiana State Senate elections, 2003". Ballotpedia.
  9. "Louisiana House of Representatives elections, 2003". Ballotpedia.
  10. "Dan Thompson - 2003". Green Party of the United States.
  11. "Les Evenchick - 2003". Green Party of the United States.
  12. Krupa, Michelle; Donze, Frank (2008-12-02). "Two candidates offer alternative views". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  13. "San Francisco Bay View » Malik Rahim for Congress Dec. 6!". sfbayview.com. 2008-11-22. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  14. Miller, Lorraine C. (2009). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 2008" (PDF). Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. p. 26. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  15. "Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District - Ballotpedia". Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  16. "Louisiana's 5th Congressional District special election, 2013". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2017-02-06.
  17. "Louisiana's 5th Congressional District elections, 2014". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2017-02-06.
  18. "Candidate's Affidavit in Lieu of Report". Louisiana Ethics Administration Program Campaign Finance Portal. 2015-11-10. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  19. "Money is the issue as Agriculture chief Strain faces three challengers in Oct. 24 primary". The New Orleans Advocate. 2015-10-21. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  20. "Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture election, 2015". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  21. "Louisiana's 1st Congressional District election, 2016". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2017-02-06.
  22. Bolden, Bonnie (2018-03-24). "Staci Albritton Mitchell wins West Monroe mayoral race". The News-Star. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  23. Ravits, Sarah (2021-10-21). "Division 2 Council candidates talk policy at Gambit debate Wednesday night". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  24. "Louisiana Secretary of State - Election Results". voterportal.sos.la.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  25. Richardson, Valerie (2016-08-22). "Al Gore, climate activists use Louisiana floods to push narrative without evidence of link". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2017-02-06.
  26. Leip, David. "1996 Presidential General Election Results - Louisiana". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Nader party was listed on the ballot as Liberty Ecology Community
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