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State News Release |
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| Maine Green Independent Party to Caucus Across State, Choose Presidential Candidate. |
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MAINE GREEN INDEPENDENT PARTY February 16, 2004 Co-Chairs: The Maine Green Independent Party (MGIP) is flexing its political muscles. This month and next, Green activists and organizers in towns and cities across Maine will gather to caucus. With at least 70 caucuses in the works, this marks the busiest caucus season in the young party's history. However, the MGIP caucuses will be closely watched for a more important reason - they begin the process of choosing the Green 2004 presidential nominee. "There has been a lot of interest," says Ben Meiklejohn, Co-Chair of the MGIP, and author of the Greens' caucus guidelines. "As much as any party in Maine, we Greens have a real say in what happens this November. Who we nominate in Maine will affect the national Green Party nomination - and will have a profound impact on the presidential race." The Maine Greens wield a great deal of influence within the nationwide Green Party. Comparatively speaking, the MGIP consistently gains a high percentage of the vote in both presidential and gubernatorial races. The MGIP also has the highest-ranking elected Green official in Representative John Eder. And with more than 16,000 members, the Maine Greens have the highest per capita Green Party membership of any state. "It's crucial that Greens come out for these caucuses," says Heather "Betsy" Garrold, Co-Chair of the MGIP. "With no primary, this will be your chance to make your voice heard, and help decide who our candidate for president will ultimately be. Greens are very politically aware - I think most understand what a responsibility this is." Normally, caucuses help Green committees pick local officers, nominate election clerks, and take care of other partisan business. However, a change in state law has meant that parties must also choose presidential nominees at the caucuses. In the past, political parties in Maine chose presidential nominees with a primary vote. In an interesting twist, the new law has also created a change in the amount of time it will take to select a Green presidential nominee. The MGIP is unique in that it leaves the date of each caucus up to the local organizing committee. In other words, unlike the other two major parties, caucuses take place over a three-month period, at different times in different municipalities across the state. "The way we operate embodies our values of decentralization and grassroots organizing," says Meiklejohn. "Our caucuses take place town by town, totally at the convenience of the Greens within that town. Right now, we have a healthy debate going on within the party about who our presidential nominee should be. And the caucus process is making our decision all the more intriguing because it's taking place over time." "I am personally helping to run the caucuses in my county," adds Garrold. "I am very excited to meet with all the local Greens for a lively exchange of ideas. This is true grassroots participation that has meaning in the outcome of the presidential nomination process for our party." With an effort underway to draft Ralph Nader as the Green nominee, as well as a crowded field of candidates seeking the nomination - including Carol Miller, Kent Mesplay, Lorna Salzman, David Cobb, Sheila Bilyeau, Peter Camejo and Paul Glover - the race is hotly contested. In the very near future, the MGIP plans to post on their website a tally of caucus votes for each candidate, as well as a schedule of upcoming caucuses. Greens interested in holding caucuses in their area can email Ben Meiklejohn at greens@prexar.com or telephone him at 756-7684. March 19 is the last date caucuses can take place. In the United States, the Green Party was born in 1984 at a meeting held in Augusta, Maine. Since then, it has become the third largest and fastest growing political party in the country. In 2000, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader received more than three million votes for president. For more information about the Maine Green Independent Party, log on to http://www.mainegreens.org. For more information about the Green Party nationwide, log on to http://www.gp.org. For more information about Green Party candidates for president in 2004, log on to http://www.gp.org/convention/process.html.
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