The Green Party of Washington is looking for progressives to run for elected office in 2018!

This year two Greens were elected in Washington State: Renata Rollins is the new Olympia City Councilmember for Position 6, and EJ Zita was reelected to Olympia Port Commissioner Position 2. Let’s keep the momentum going!

There are many local offices up for reelection in 2018, as well as all members of the State House of Representatives and half of the members of the State Senate. Candidates at the local level have the best chance of winning, and these local races provide opportunities to build name recognition, a base of support, and the experience of running a campaign.

Green office holders in 23 states and the District of Columbia are hard at work for the voters who elected them. They are creating public policy on important issues including civil rights, a living wage, affordable housing, alternative voting systems, peace, and the environment. They are opposing urban sprawl, fracking, and expansion of corporate power.

Green office holders make an immediate impact on their communities as town council members, county commissioners, and school board members. These Greens reach out to voters of diverse backgrounds and bring together coalitions of community organizations and individuals to begin to reclaim their local governments.

Candidates need to begin their campaigns as early as possible. If you or someone you know is thinking of running, please contact your local Green Party or the Campaign Committee of the Green Party of Washington State –> email hello@greenpartywashington.org.

All across the country hundreds of Green Party candidates will be challenging the two corporate parties. This will be a great time for someone to learn the art of running for office, and a smart, energetic person could actually win! We are looking for people who are under-represented in elective office, women, African Americans, Latinx, Asian Americans, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities, and other minorities – people from all walks of life and class backgrounds. We are also looking for people to work with candidates as campaign managers and volunteers.

Here’s the official list of offices open for election in 2018.

Candidate filing week is May 14th-18th. Here’s a link to Washington State 2018 dates and deadlines.

It’s never too early to begin. Get in touch with your local Green Party, or email us today! –> hello@greenpartywashington.org

To be considered for GPWA endorsement or preferred candidate status, please complete our GPWA Candidate Questionnaire.

In solidarity,

Campaign Committee,
Green Party of Washington

Dear Green Party Members and Supporters,

Now, more than ever, America needs the Green Party. Nationally, the Democrats continue their strategy of pandering to big donors and moving to the right to try to win back Obama voters who voted for Trump. Trying to change the Democrats from the ground up is likely a hopeless endeavor. The Green Party offers real hope and a real choice.

The Greens are a political party, unlike all the myriad other progressive organizations in Washington. This means we are positioned to run candidates – candidates who are not taking money from special interests, and who promise to govern using the Ten Key Values as a guide. If you believe in a better, more progressive America, the Greens are your party. You already know this.  But we cannot deliver real gains until we elect Greens to office, where they can have the power to create a better future.

We must have good candidates to run for elected offices. Who is a good candidate? It could be YOU. If you find yourself frustrated with local politics, and think you could do a better job, then why not consider running for office as a Green? GPWA has experience in what it takes to run a successful campaign, and we can help. You do not necessarily need experience in government – only a willingness to learn. There are a number of races around the state where local candidates are re-elected with no opponent. You could offer a more progressive choice to the electorate.

Another way you can help advance the Green agenda is to volunteer to work on Green campaigns. The Green Party endorses Green candidates, or grants preferred status to non-Green candidates who agree with much of the Green agenda. By volunteering, you will gain inside knowledge of not only how a campaign works, but what the candidate is really like. Volunteering is a great way to learn what it takes to be a candidate, and if your candidate wins, you may have more influence over what happens in your district or city.

Here’s a list of offices statewide that are open for election in 2017: https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/candidates/Offices-Open-for-Election.aspx

We hope that you will join us and promote electoral activism. Please send an email to hello@greenpartywashington.org describing in a short paragraph what you would like to do, and we can connect you with campaign volunteers or get you started as a Green candidate.

To be considered for GPWA endorsement or preferred candidate status, please complete our candidate questionnaire.

Sincerely,
The Campaign Committee
Green Party of Washington State

UPDATE: A recording of this Webinar may be viewed at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxPr8aUIVquEM0RFdm5aZ194Uk0/view

An archive of this and other how-to webinars by the GPUS Coordinated Campaign Committee can be found here: http://gpus.org/committees/coordinated-campaign/ccc-webinars/

Interested in running Green in 2017 or 2018? The Green Party will host a webinar for all declared candidates, those considering a run for office, and key support staff on Tuesday, January 24 at 9:00 PM (Eastern time), 6:00 PM (Pacific time).

This webinar is designed for declared candidates, and especially those considering a run for office this year with the Green Party. Potential 2018 candidates also welcome. Those who are (or plan to be) key support staff or volunteers are also welcome to join. This particular session will focus on:

– Why run for office?
– What does a typical campaign look like?
– What personal considerations should influence my decision?
– How do I seek a Green Party endorsement?

This webinar will be led by Jennifer Baker, recently elected to the Napa Valley College Board of Trustees and Alex Shantz, who ran her campaign.

Jennifer Baker is currently serving as a Communications Media Specialist for the Napa Valley Unified School District in Napa, CA where she lives with her husband and two elementary school children. She holds Masters degrees in Library Science and Public Administration. In a highly contentious race against a firmly entrenched incumbent and political insider, she was elected to a 4-year term on the Napa Valley College Board of Trustees, representing Area 1 this November. While she has over 25 years of public service experience, this is her first publicly elected position.

Alex Shantz, who also has held office as a Napa Valley College Board of Trustees, is active with the Green Party of California. He also recently served on the St. Helena United School District Board. Read more about Alex here: http://www.cagreens.org/news/young-green-elected-student-trustee-napa-valley-college