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| DC Statehood Greens Protest D.C. Elections and Ethics Board Refusal to Release Primary Write-In Vote Count for Green Candidates. |
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THE D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY Wednesday, February 4, 2004 Contact: Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator 202-518-5624, scottmclarty@yahoo.com STATEHOOD GREENS PROTEST D.C. ELECTIONS BOARD'S REFUSAL TO RELEASE PRIMARY WRITE-IN VOTE COUNTS FOR GREEN CANDIDATES The decision by the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics prevents the D.C. Statehood Green Party from selecting convention delegates. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics (DCBOEE) has refused to release the names and to count the votes cast for write-in Green candidates in the January 13 primary, prompting leaders of the D.C. Statehood Green Party to charge that the DCBOEE is blocking the party from selecting delegates for the national Green Party convention. "31% of party members who voted in the primary election will be disenfranchised by official action of the General Counsel of the Board of Elections and Ethics," said Adam Eidinger, a member of the Statehood Green Party's steering committee. "The board has refused to recount the primary ballots and inform us of the vote count for write-ins. They tell us they can only release this information to a candidate who specifically requested it with a signed document, which had to be received by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 3. Without the write-in count, the D.C. Statehood Green Party cannot determine its delegation to our national convention." The D.C. Statehood Green Party approved its '2004 Presidential Preference Primary Election Plan' at a general assembly meeting on July 3, 2003 and submitted it to the DCBOEE, which approved the plan. The party now needs an accurate vote count from D.C.'s 'First in the Nation' primary, which was held on Tuesday, January 13, in order to select 11 convention delegates committed to candidates in proportion with votes cast by party members on January 13. As many as three of the 11 Statehood Green delegates could be determined by the write-in votes. Statehood Greens have been told that DCBOEE regulations direct the board not to count write-ins unless the count will modify the outcome of an election, which the board interprets to mean 'the clear winner.' But Statehood Greens argue that presidential primaries are held not just to produce a winner, but to determine percentages of votes for a number of candidates in order to apportion delegates. This requires a complete list of candidates, including write-ins, and the numbers of votes they received. "The board accepted our primary election plan, but won't fulfill its duty to provide the party an accurate vote count," said Zoe Mitchell, Ward One representative to the Statehood Green Party's steering committee. "The 116 Statehood Greens who voted for a write-in candidate will have their votes disqualified. If the board does not change its position, we may consider a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of these Statehood Green voters." The Green Party's Presidential Nominating Convention will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 23-28, at the Midwest Center, Milwaukee Theater, and the Milwaukee Hyatt Regency. Delegates from all state Green Parties affiliated with the Green Party of the United States, including the D.C. Statehood Green Party, will participate in the selection of the party's 2004 candidate for the White House. MORE INFORMATION |
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