Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@greens.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Greens gathering in Tulsa for
the national meeting of the Green Party of the United States this past
weekend elected new national co-chairs of the party.
The party's National Committee elected the new
officers on Sunday morning, July 24. The new co-chairs, who serve on
the Green Party's steering committee, are Pat LaMarche (Maine) and
Rebecca Rotzler (New York). Steve Kramer (Maryland) was reelected
co-chair. Holly Hart (Iowa) was elected secretary of the national
party.
They join sitting co-chairs Gwen Wages
(Mississippi), Marc Sanson (Illinois), and Jody Haug (Washington) and
treasurer Jake Schneider (Wisconsin), who were elected in 2004. One
seat was left vacant in the election and will be filled through a
runoff. (Steering committee terms are two years; elections are
staggered, with half the committee elected every year.)
Ms. LaMarche ran for Governor of Maine in 1998 and
was nominated for Vice President of the United States in 2004. During
the Tulsa meeting, Ms. LaMarche announced Maine's record number of
Green registrants: 24,155 Maine voters were reported registered Green
in November, 2004, up 50% from 16,169 Green registrants in November,
2002. At 2.3%, the 2004 number is the highest per capita percentage of
registered Greens in any state.
Ms. Rotzler, who is a Yupik Eskimo and originally
from Alaska, is Deputy Mayor of New Paltz, New York and serves as
co-chair of the Green Party's Peace Action Committee, leading Greens
in their opposition to the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. Ms.
Hart currently serves as co-chair of the Green Party's Platform
Committee.
Also in the past week, Nancy Allen (Maine) stepped
down from her position as one of two Media Coordinators for the Green
Party. Starlene Rankin (California) replaces Ms. Allen, joining Scott
McLarty (District of Columbia).
Raitt Wins Humanitarian Award
Greens also congratulated singer, guitarist, and
acclaimed songwriter Bonnie Raitt, who will receive the Harry Chapin
Memorial Humanitarian Award during the opening session of the 47th
annual convention of National Association of Recording Merchandisers
in San Diego on August 12. Ms. Raitt is a member of the Green Party of
California.
"Ms. Raitt's efforts to stop war in Central
America, participation in the Sun City anti-apartheid project,
performances at 'No Nukes' concerts, dedication to ecology and rights
for women and Native Americans, and work to ensure higher royalties
for older R&B musicians are all consistent with all the best Green
principles," said Rebecca Rotzler. "We're enormously proud
that a member of the Green Party will receive the Harry Chapin Award
this year. Congratulations, Bonnie!"
MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
"Green Independent Party sees hefty growth in state"
Associated Press, Portland Press Herald (Maine), July 25, 2005
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/050725greens.shtml