Green Party of Alaska
Encyclopedia
The Green Party of Alaska is the state party organization for Alaska
of the Green Party of the United States
. Alaska was the first state to gain Green Party ballot access
, in 1990, when Jim Sykes
ran for governor. Sykes had previously filed a ballot access lawsuit, citing an earlier case, Vogler
v. Miller
.
Like the Alaska Libertarian Party
, the Green Party organizes local affiliate groups by regions of the state rather than election districts. It is known for calling these groups bioregions. The organized bioregions of the GPAK include the Southcentral Bioregion (Anchorage area) and the Tanana-Yukon Bioregion (the Interior, around the Tanana and Yukon River
areas).
The Green Party of Alaska has gained more than 10% of the votes in past presidential and congressional elections. The most notable example was in 2000, when Alaska voters gave presidential candidate Ralph Nader
his highest state percentage. Nader made headlines when he carried the Girdwood
precinct, located at the extreme southern end of Anchorage corporate limits. In 1996, the party's U.S. Senate nominee Jed Whittaker came in second, out-polling Democratic nominee Theresa Obermeyer
, who had been disowned by her party.
The first election victory associated with the party was in 1991, when Kelley Weaverling was elected mayor of Cordova
http://www.feinstein.org/greenparty/greenmayors.html. Municipal elections in Alaska are nonpartisan, though Weaverling's association with the party was highly publicized at the time.
. Like other Green parties, it supports the development of alternative fuels and energy sources, in particular wind power
and solar power
.
GPAK also supports an all-Alaska gas line.
2006
2004
2002
Received 1.26% of the votes cast for Governor. The party also had fewer registered voters than 3% of the votes cast for governor in the 2002 general election, thus losing its Recognized Political Party status. In 2003, based on an order granting a preliminary injunction by the Superior Court for the State of Alaska, the party was allowed to remain a recognized political party through the 2004 General Election.
2000
1998
1996
1994 - Sykes
/ Lewis (Governor / Lt. Governor candidates) Received 4.1% of the votes cast for governor.
1992
1990 - Sykes / Crumb (Governor / Lt. Governor candidates) Received 3.3% of votes cast for governor, attaining the State of Alaska's Recognized Political Party status.
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
of the Green Party of the United States
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
. Alaska was the first state to gain Green Party ballot access
Ballot access
Ballot access rules, called nomination rules outside the United States, regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is either entitled to stand for election or to appear on voters' ballots...
, in 1990, when Jim Sykes
Jim Sykes
James L. "Jim" Sykes is a radio journalist and producer, and Green Party politician, in the U.S. state of Alaska. The founder of the Green Party of Alaska, Sykes initiated a lawsuit, Sykes v. Alaska, relying heavily upon case law established in the earlier ballot access lawsuits of Joe Vogler...
ran for governor. Sykes had previously filed a ballot access lawsuit, citing an earlier case, Vogler
Joe Vogler
Joseph E. "Joe" Vogler was the founder of the Alaskan Independence Party, and either its chair or gubernatorial nominee for most of its first two decades of existence...
v. Miller
Terry Miller (politician)
Terry Miller was the sixth Lieutenant Governor of Alaska, 1978–1982.Miller was born in San Francisco, California. His father, Conrad B. Miller, came to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1949 and soon began work as a fur trader in rural Alaska...
.
Like the Alaska Libertarian Party
Alaska Libertarian Party
The Alaska Libertarian Party is the Alaska affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Mark Fish. The state vice chair is Harley Brown.- External links:*...
, the Green Party organizes local affiliate groups by regions of the state rather than election districts. It is known for calling these groups bioregions. The organized bioregions of the GPAK include the Southcentral Bioregion (Anchorage area) and the Tanana-Yukon Bioregion (the Interior, around the Tanana and Yukon River
Yukon River
The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. The source of the river is located in British Columbia, Canada. The next portion lies in, and gives its name to Yukon Territory. The lower half of the river lies in the U.S. state of Alaska. The river is long and empties into...
areas).
The Green Party of Alaska has gained more than 10% of the votes in past presidential and congressional elections. The most notable example was in 2000, when Alaska voters gave presidential candidate Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
his highest state percentage. Nader made headlines when he carried the Girdwood
Girdwood, Alaska
Girdwood is an unincorporated year-round ski resort community within the Municipality of Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska. It lies in a valley in the Chugach Mountains near the end of the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet, 36 miles southeast of Anchorage proper.It is surrounded by seven permanent...
precinct, located at the extreme southern end of Anchorage corporate limits. In 1996, the party's U.S. Senate nominee Jed Whittaker came in second, out-polling Democratic nominee Theresa Obermeyer
Theresa Obermeyer
Theresa Nangle Obermeyer , is a former Anchorage, Alaska School board member . After two terms she lost on her bid for a third....
, who had been disowned by her party.
The first election victory associated with the party was in 1991, when Kelley Weaverling was elected mayor of Cordova
Cordova, Alaska
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,454 people, 958 households, and 597 families residing in the city. The population density was 40.0 per square mile . There are 1,099 housing units at an average density of 17.9 per square mile...
http://www.feinstein.org/greenparty/greenmayors.html. Municipal elections in Alaska are nonpartisan, though Weaverling's association with the party was highly publicized at the time.
Energy policy
The Green Party of Alaska is the only political party in the state which is opposed to industrial oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife RefugeArctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country, slightly larger than the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge...
. Like other Green parties, it supports the development of alternative fuels and energy sources, in particular wind power
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
and solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
.
GPAK also supports an all-Alaska gas line.
Ballot status
The Green Party first gained ballot access in 1990, but lost its Recognized Political Party status in 2002. Ballot access was regained in 2003 based on a court order, lost again in 2005, and regained in February 2006 when Superior Court Judge Stephanie Joannides issued a preliminary injunction against the State of Alaska, preventing the state from denying access to the Green Party. On June 3, 2007 a lower Alaska state court upheld Alaska’s new definition of “political party” and the Green Party of Alaska was removed from the ballot. The judge wrote that she had to uphold the new definition of “political party”, because the Alaska Supreme Court had upheld the old definition of “political party” on November 17, 2006. http://www.ballot-access.org/2007/06/07/alaska-green-party-loses-ballot-access-lawsuit/Elections
History of Green Party of Alaska candidates in statewide elections:2006
- - Massie (Governor) (Note: this candidate did not receive the endorsement of the state party, but was a registered Green) Received .25% of the votes cast for governor
- - Ince (United States House of Representatives candidate) Received .78% of the votes cast for representative
2004
- - SykesJim SykesJames L. "Jim" Sykes is a radio journalist and producer, and Green Party politician, in the U.S. state of Alaska. The founder of the Green Party of Alaska, Sykes initiated a lawsuit, Sykes v. Alaska, relying heavily upon case law established in the earlier ballot access lawsuits of Joe Vogler...
(United States Senate candidate) Received .99% of the votes cast for senator. - - Feller (United States House of Representatives candidate) Received 3.81% of the votes cast for representative.
- - CobbDavid CobbDavid Keith Cobb is an American activist and was the 2004 presidential candidate of the Green Party of the United States .-Career and political activities:...
/ LaMarche (President/Vice President candidates) Received .34% of the votes cast for president.
2002
- - Benson / Coburn (Governor / Lt. Governor candidates)
Received 1.26% of the votes cast for Governor. The party also had fewer registered voters than 3% of the votes cast for governor in the 2002 general election, thus losing its Recognized Political Party status. In 2003, based on an order granting a preliminary injunction by the Superior Court for the State of Alaska, the party was allowed to remain a recognized political party through the 2004 General Election.
- - SykesJim SykesJames L. "Jim" Sykes is a radio journalist and producer, and Green Party politician, in the U.S. state of Alaska. The founder of the Green Party of Alaska, Sykes initiated a lawsuit, Sykes v. Alaska, relying heavily upon case law established in the earlier ballot access lawsuits of Joe Vogler...
(United States Senate candidate) Received 7.24% of the votes cast for senator, coming in third of five candidates. - - DeForest (United States House of Representatives candidate) Received 6.34% of the votes cast for representative.
2000
- - Young (United States Senate candidate) Received 8.18% of the votes cast for senator, coming in third of five candidates.
- - Nader / LaDukeWinona LaDukeWinona LaDuke is a Native American activist, environmentalist, economist, and writer. In 1996 and 2000, she ran for vice president as the nominee of the United States Green Party, on a ticket headed by Ralph Nader. In the 2004 election, however, she endorsed one of Nader's opponents, Democratic...
(President/Vice President candidates)
1998
- - Jacobsson / Milligan (Governor / Lt. Governor candidates) Received 3.01% of the votes cast for governor.
- - Grames (United States Senate candidate) Received 2.4% of the votes cast for senator.
1996
- - Whittaker (United States Senate candidate) Received 12.5% of the votes cast for senator, coming in second of three candidates.
- - Grames (United States House of Representatives candidate) Received 1.9% of the votes cast for representative.
- - Nader / LaDuke (President/Vice President)
1994 - Sykes
Jim Sykes
James L. "Jim" Sykes is a radio journalist and producer, and Green Party politician, in the U.S. state of Alaska. The founder of the Green Party of Alaska, Sykes initiated a lawsuit, Sykes v. Alaska, relying heavily upon case law established in the earlier ballot access lawsuits of Joe Vogler...
/ Lewis (Governor / Lt. Governor candidates) Received 4.1% of the votes cast for governor.
1992
- - Jordan (United States Senate) Received 8.4% of the votes cast for senator.
- - Milligan (United States House of Representatives) Received 4% of the votes cast for representative.
1990 - Sykes / Crumb (Governor / Lt. Governor candidates) Received 3.3% of votes cast for governor, attaining the State of Alaska's Recognized Political Party status.
Sources
- Alaska Division of Elections. http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ltgov/elections/
- Green Party Election Results. http://www.greens.org/elections/