If you’re like me, you felt very good about voting for Jill Stein. The same for the other Green Party candidates on my ballot. I still do. Even after facing the stark reality that Donald Trump has won the 2016 Presidential Election. I won’t let anyone make me feel guilty about supporting the Green Party candidates on my ballot, who I believe were the best candidates for those positions.
Let’s focus on the good news.
We are building a political party, and a movement.
Thanks to all Green Party candidates, all across the country. Thanks to all those Green Party supporters in Illinois who petitioned to get Jill and our statewide, federal, and local candidates on the ballot. Thanks to all those Greens who worked so hard to get out the vote and who voted Green. Thanks to all the Bernie supporters for their courageous, contagious can-do attitude.
In Illinois, Jill Stein received two-and-a-half times more votes in this 2016 election than in 2012. Nationwide, in this election she has received almost three times more votes than in 2012—MORE THAN ONE MILLION votes. Unofficial results have her at about 1,200,000 and there are still more votes to be counted.
Paula Bradshaw increased her vote total in the 12th Congressional District by 50% (to 18,713 votes) and she preserved established party status for the Green Party in that district by getting 6% of the vote .
Karen Roothan, Michael Smith, George Milkowski, and Christopher Anthony were the Green Party candidates for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and they garnered enough votes to maintain the Green Party’s established party status for MWRD. With 97% of precincts counted, in the election for the two-year seat, Christopher has received 10.5% (190,312 votes); for the three four-year seats, Karen leads the way for the Green Party candidates, finishing fourth and receiving 8.6% (329,040 votes).
Rich Whitney, Charlie Howe, and Randy Auxier ran for Jackson County Board. Rich received 31%, Charlie 31%, and Randy 7.47%.
So, we made progress. Not as much as we had hoped for, but building a new political party does take time.
No doubt we all need to take care of at least some of those tasks that we put aside during the campaign. But we must go on with our party- and movement-building .
At its regular meeting on Sunday, the ILGP Executive Committee will begin plans for its Spring 2017 statewide Membership Meeting, likely to be held in Chicagoland. Rich Whitney has already called a meeting for the Shawnee Green Party to discuss the 2017 and 2018 campaigns. Please stay involved with social justice issues, especially climate change. Consider running for office. The 2017 elections are mostly nonpartisan; some candidate petitions need to be filed later this month!
Peace and Progress,
Vito Mastrangelo
ILGP Chair