Jason West
Encyclopedia
Jason West is the mayor of the village of New Paltz, New York
, having resumed the duties of office on June 1, 2011. He served previously as the village's mayor from January 1, 2003 to May 31, 2007.
A graduate of the State University of New York at New Paltz
, West made headlines by solemnizing same-sex marriages in New York
. After running as a protest candidate for the New York State Assembly in 2000 and 2002 on the Green Party
ticket, West was elected mayor of New Paltz in 2003. He lost his re-election bid on May 1, 2007, to Village Trustee Terry Dungan.
Mayor West was named the Best New Mayor of 2003 by Hudson Valley Magazine. He was honored by such organizations as the New York State Senate Democratic Conference, the California State Legislature and community organizations from around the country. He has been profiled in such magazines as the New York Times Magazine, Plenty
, Out
, The Advocate
and Jane
.
On February 27, 2004, West drew national attention to New Paltz when he announced that he would be performing same-sex marriage
s. On the first day he performed 24 such ceremonies. On March 2, he was charged with 19 misdemeanor counts of "solemnizing marriages without a license" by Ulster County
District Attorney Donald Williams. According to Williams, West was not charged for all 25 ceremonies because police only witnessed 19 of them.
West originally announced that he intended to continue performing same-sex weddings; however, on March 5, New York state judge Vincent Bradley issued a temporary restraining order barring West from performing any such ceremonies for a month. West indicated that he would abide by the judicial order while evaluating his legal options. On June 6, Ulster County Supreme Court Judge Michael Kavanagh made the injunction permanent. West later remarked, "Give it 10 or 20 years when we're holding state legislatures and Congress. It will just be a nonissue."
On June 10, New Paltz Town Court Justice Jonathan Katz dismissed the charges against Mayor West, ruling that the district attorney had failed to show that the state had a legitimate interest in preventing the marriages, or that the law under which West was charged was constitutional. The district attorney said that he would appeal the ruling.
A signatory to the United States Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement and the member of the international network Mayors for Peace, Jason West is also a founding member and serves on the steering committee of the Young Elected Officials Network; a nationwide organization of progressive politicians under 35.
New Paltz (village), New York
New Paltz is a village in Ulster County in the U.S. state of New York. It is about north of New York City and south of Albany. The population was 6,818 at the 2010 census.The Village of New Paltz is located within the Town of New Paltz...
, having resumed the duties of office on June 1, 2011. He served previously as the village's mayor from January 1, 2003 to May 31, 2007.
A graduate of the State University of New York at New Paltz
State University of New York at New Paltz
The State University of New York at New Paltz, known as SUNY New Paltz for short, is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It was founded in 1828 as the School for teaching of classics. In 1885, the New Paltz Normal and Training School was established as a school to prepare teachers for the...
, West made headlines by solemnizing same-sex marriages in New York
Same-sex marriage in New York
Same-sex marriage in the U.S. state of New York became legal on July 24, 2011, under the Marriage Equality Act, which was passed on June 24, 2011, by the New York State Legislature and signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on the same day...
. After running as a protest candidate for the New York State Assembly in 2000 and 2002 on the Green Party
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...
ticket, West was elected mayor of New Paltz in 2003. He lost his re-election bid on May 1, 2007, to Village Trustee Terry Dungan.
Summary
Elected Mayor of New Paltz in 2003 with promises of environmental sustainability, Jason West gained international attention, initially as part of the first Green Party majority elected in New York State and later for risking criminal prosecution to marry twenty-five same-sex couples.Mayor West was named the Best New Mayor of 2003 by Hudson Valley Magazine. He was honored by such organizations as the New York State Senate Democratic Conference, the California State Legislature and community organizations from around the country. He has been profiled in such magazines as the New York Times Magazine, Plenty
Plenty (magazine)
Plenty is an environmental media company that publishes a bi-monthly magazine and offers daily news on their website . They are dedicated to exploring and giving voice to the green revolution that they say will define the 21st Century...
, Out
Out (magazine)
Out is a popular gay and lesbian fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle magazine, with the highest circulation of any gay monthly publication in the United States. It carries itself in a similar editorial manner to Details, Esquire, and GQ. Out was published by PlanetOut Inc...
, The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
and Jane
Jane (magazine)
Jane was an American magazine created to appeal to the women who grew up reading Sassy Magazine, both of which had Jane Pratt as founding editor. Its original target audience was aged 18–34, and was designed to appeal to women who are irreverent...
.
Same-sex marriages
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
s. On the first day he performed 24 such ceremonies. On March 2, he was charged with 19 misdemeanor counts of "solemnizing marriages without a license" by Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
District Attorney Donald Williams. According to Williams, West was not charged for all 25 ceremonies because police only witnessed 19 of them.
West originally announced that he intended to continue performing same-sex weddings; however, on March 5, New York state judge Vincent Bradley issued a temporary restraining order barring West from performing any such ceremonies for a month. West indicated that he would abide by the judicial order while evaluating his legal options. On June 6, Ulster County Supreme Court Judge Michael Kavanagh made the injunction permanent. West later remarked, "Give it 10 or 20 years when we're holding state legislatures and Congress. It will just be a nonissue."
On June 10, New Paltz Town Court Justice Jonathan Katz dismissed the charges against Mayor West, ruling that the district attorney had failed to show that the state had a legitimate interest in preventing the marriages, or that the law under which West was charged was constitutional. The district attorney said that he would appeal the ruling.
Involvement in the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords
As Mayor, Jason West took part in the creation of the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords in San Francisco in the Spring of 2005. He is one of sixty mayors from across the world who signed the original Accords.A signatory to the United States Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement and the member of the international network Mayors for Peace, Jason West is also a founding member and serves on the steering committee of the Young Elected Officials Network; a nationwide organization of progressive politicians under 35.
Defeat in 2007
West lost his bid for a second four-year term by on May 1, 2007, after a campaign highlighted by an endorsement by Ralph Nader with 514 votes for Dungan to West's 379.External links
- Jason West Green Party 2004 Convention video also includes Scott McClarty
- speaking at the Hunter College chapter of the Roosevelt Institution February 22, 2008