State Green Party Press Release

Making History in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Green Party
November 16, 2003

Contact:
Greg Gerritt - Secretary, GPRI (401) 331-0529
Jeff Toste - Co-Chair, GPRI - (401) 751-5596

(Providence) The Green Party of RI is making history--David Cobb and Kent Mesplay will vie for GPRI delegates to the National Nominating Convention for the first Green Party presidential primary.

The Green Party of Rhode Island received notice that two candidates for the Green Party nomination for President, David Cobb and Kent Mesplay, will be filing Statements of Intent with the Secretary of State on November 17th. Both candidates have been working with the Green Party of Rhode Island to place their names on the Green Party March 2, 2004 primary ballot. This will be the first time in the history of the Green Party of the United States that a state party has petitioned to place candidates in a Green Party Presidential Primary.

Welcoming the historic role accorded to the Green Party of Rhode Island as it mobilizes for the 2004 election cycle, Linde Rachel, party spokeswoman, noted, "We have already started training petitioners and have a number of people excited about getting out on the streets and collecting the 1,000 signatures needed to get both candidates on the RI presidential primary ballot."

National Green Party Co-chair Jo Chamberlin stated that this is a great way to build on the Green Party successes in the recent November election. "Greens ran very well this year, including two dozen victories for assorted PA elected posts, and Matt Gonzalez's strong showing for Mayor of San Francisco. Finishing second in a crowded field, Gonzalez now faces a runoff election next month. All totaled, 56 greens were elected in 2003. The Rhode Island race will help us get the 2004 Presidential season off to a very good start."

Tony Affigne, Green Party of RI delegate to the national Coordinating Committee, commented on the Green Party's importance. "More and more Americans are showing that they are tired of the non-choices that the Democrat and Republican parties offer. Take health care. While the two parties dicker over how to include a drug benefit to Medicare, the number of Americans without any health care insurance has risen to 44 million. Green Party candidates will make sure there is debate on this and other issues."

Greg Gerritt, presidential campaign coordinator for the Green Party of RI has been in touch with both candidates recently. "Each candidate is very excited about getting on the ballot in Rhode Island. David Cobb received an enthusiastic welcome when he came through RI on a New England campaign swing late in September, and Kent Mesplay promises to appear in Rhode Island during the petitioning period," Gerritt said.

Petitioning begins three days after filing Statements of Intent to the RI Secretary of States office, and any candidate wishing to be placed on the primary ballot must turn in 1,000 verified signatures of RI registered voters by December 19th. Ralph Nader, Green Party candidate for President in 2000, polled 6.12% of the vote in Rhode Island. In 2002, David Segal became the first Green elected in Rhode Island, winning the Ward 1 City Council seat in Providence.