Green Party marks another electoral victory, but laments state of elections in the state, and 'pandering' of special interests
GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
SACRAMENTO, Ca. (June 4, 2008) - The Green Party of California quietly added to its growing list of officeholders Tuesday - avoiding the stranglehold of special business interests, and without spending tens of millions of dollars, the Green Party of California said Wednesday.
Green Party candidates for Congress and the state Legislature easily won their primaries Tuesday, and in a city council election in Winters, Mayor Woody Fridae, a Green, won his council seat by collecting 51.5 percent of the vote.
But, Greens said Tuesday's election was far from a victory for voters.
"Low voter turnout, expensive advertising, out of control independent expenditure committees, special interest pandering and only two parties in competition. That is the state of elections in California these days," said Hank Chapot, a Green party member and union organizer.
"Without public financing, proportional representation and free media, we will remain stuck in the dysfunctional system and never get to peace, environmental justice and small democracy," he lamented.
Greens did applaud the defeat one eminent domain issue, Prop. 98, and the passage of another one, Prop. 99.
About 55 Greens hold elected office in the state, including 16 mayors and city council members, including the mayor of Richmond (Gayle McLaughlin) and a San Francisco supervisor (Ross Mirkarimi). Greens hold majorities or near-majorities on city councils in several cities. There are about 126,000 registered voters in the Green Party in California.
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Contacts:
Susan King, Spokesperson, 415.823.5524,
Dr. Bob Vizzard, Spokesperson, 916.206.8953,
Daniel Brezenoff, Spokesperson, 310.422.2211,
Cres Vellucci, Press Secretary, 916.996.9170,
The Green Party of California
PO Box 2828
Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
Web: http://www.cagreens.org
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