Green National Convention

The Green National Convention is the Presidential nominating convention of the Green Party of the United States (GPUS). Though the Green National Committee meets annually in a "national meeting", the convention is convened by the GNC once every four years in order to nominate an official candidate in the upcoming U.S. Presidential election, and to officially adopt the party platform and rules for the election cycle.

For the recent convention, see 2016 Green National Convention.
For the next convention, see 2020 Green National Convention.

The convention signals the end of the primary season for Greens, and the start of campaigning for the general election of that year; as such, prominent Greens in state and local races are also spotlighted in order to give them the publicity that the convention affords. In contrast to the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, however, the convention is not merely a formality which endorses the will of the electorate in the primaries, but the final determinant for the nomination. This is because ballot access laws in many states prohibit the Green Party from holding a state-sponsored primary election—only five states were able to meet the requirements in 2004—and others prevent voters from actually registering into the party, thus making it difficult to credential Greens.

As such, Green conventions often have a degree of contentiousness which was seen only in past conventions of the Democratic and Republican Parties, prior to reforms in 1968 and 1972, respectively.

History

The leadership of the first nationwide Green organization in the United States, The Greens/Green Party USA (G/GPUSA), were generally opposed to an entry into electoral politics. Thus, the G/GPUSA's national meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1995 ended with a resolution not to nominate a candidate for the 1996 election. However, a group of Greens interested in a run by consumer advocate Ralph Nader met in Los Angeles in 1996 to nominate Nader for President and Winona LaDuke for Vice-President. Arguably, though it lacked official sanction, this was the first nominating convention of the Green Party in the United States, and the only one with which the G/GPUSA, if only certain members, was at all involved.

Following the general election in 1996, several state Green Parties formed the Association of State Green Parties (ASGP).[1] As such, they met in Denver, Colorado in 2000 to once again nominate Nader and LaDuke.[2]

In 2001, the ASGP formally adopted the name Green Party of the United States, and was recognized by the Federal Election Commission as the official National Committee of the Green Party. The first convention under that name, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2004, was not without controversy. Nader decided to forgo the Green nomination in favor of asking for an "endorsement" of his independent candidacy; the Greens instead nominated David Cobb for President on the second ballot from among a number of candidates, many of whom were "favorite sons", running as placeholders for Nader. Pat LaMarche was named the Vice-Presidential candidate.

List of Green conventions

The following is a list of United States Green Party Presidential nominating conventions.

Year Dates Location Nomination Venues Presidential Nominee Vice Presidential Nominee
19961 August 19 Los Angeles Freud Playhouse[3] Ralph Nader of Connecticut Winona LaDuke of Minnesota
20002 June 24–25 Denver Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel[4] Ralph Nader of Connecticut Winona LaDuke of Minnesota
2004 June 23–28 Milwaukee Midwest Airlines Center[5] David K. Cobb of California Patricia H. LaMarche of Maine
2008 July 10–13 Chicago[6] Symphony Center[7] Cynthia McKinney of Georgia Rosa Clemente of New York
2012 July 12–15 Baltimore Holiday Inn Baltimore-Inner Harbor (Dwtn)[8] Jill Stein of Massachusetts Cheri Honkala of Pennsylvania
2016 August 4–7 Houston University of Houston[9] Jill Stein of Massachusetts Ajamu Baraka of Illinois
2020 July 9–12 n/a Online Howie Hawkins of New York Angela Walker of South Carolina

1 The 1996 meeting was not an official meeting of The Greens/Green Party USA, which had officially voted to nominate no candidate in Albuquerque in 1995.
2 Convened by the Association of State Green Parties, later to be renamed the Green Party of the United States.

Other national meetings

In addition to the presidential nominating convention, there is a national meeting in all other years for the party. During the era of the Association of State Green Parties, separate annual meetings were held in the same year of presidential conventions. Since 2004, the presidential convention has consolidated annual meetings during presidential election years.[10]

Green Party of the United States
Year Location Site Notes
2020
Presidential Nominating Convention
2019Salem, MASalem State UniversityTheme: "Change Comes from the Roots"[11]
2018Salt Lake City, UTUniversity of UtahSlogan: "UTAH! – Power Up Green!"
2017Newark, NJNew Jersey Institute of Technology
2016
Presidential Nominating Convention
2015St. Louis, MOUniversity of Missouri–St. Louis
2014St. Paul, MNMacalester College
2013Iowa City, IAUniversity of Iowa
2012
Presidential Nominating Convention
2011Alfred, NYAlfred UniversityTheme: "Building a Green Economy"
2010Detroit, MIWayne State UniversityTheme: "Another U.S. Is Possible, Another Party Is Necessary"
2009Durham, NCNorth Carolina Central University
2008
Presidential Nominating Convention
2007Reading, PAAbraham Lincoln HotelTheme: "Green For A Change"
2006Tucson, AZHistoric YWCA BuildingTheme: "El Futuro es Verde -- The Future is Green"
2005Tulsa, OKUniversity of Tulsa
2004
Presidential Nominating Convention
2003Washington, D.C.Mayflower HotelTheme: "Greens at the Crossroads"
2002Philadelphia, PA[data unknown/missing]Midterm Convention
2001Santa Barbara, CALa Casa de Maria, Interfaith RetreatFounding Meeting of GPUS

Association of State Green Parties
Year Location Site Notes
2000Hiawassee, GAEnota Retreat & Conference CenterPost Election Meeting
1999Moodus, CTSunrise Resort State ParkRalph Nader, Speaker and 1996 Nominee
1998Santa Fe, NM[data unknown/missing]Keynote Speakers:
Fran Sena Gallegos, Santa Fe Municipal Judge
Jason Kirkpatrick, Vice Mayor of Arcata, CA
1997
Oct.		 Topsham, METopsham Grange Hall
1997
Apr.		Portland, OR[data unknown/missing]Delegates from 13 States plus D.C.
1996Middleburg, VAGlen-Ora FarmFounding Meeting of ASGP

See also

References
  1. http://gp.org/greenpages-blog/?tag=association-of-state-green-parties
  2. http://coloradogreenparty.org/gpco-2000/
  3. Green Party 1996 Convention: Building Critical Mass – Green Party of the United States. Retrieved November 29, 2019
  4. "Media Invitation: Green Party Presidential Nominating Convention," Green Party of the United States, Tuesday, May 30, 2000. Retrieved November 29, 2019
  5. "Green Party Congratulates and Welcomes Presidential Nominee David Cobb, Vice Presidential Nominee Pat LaMarche," Green Party of the United States news release, Saturday, June 26, 2004. Retrieved November 29, 2019
  6. 2007.08.30: Greens choose Chicago for 2008 Archived 2009-03-24 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Green Party 2008 Convention Schedule – Green Party of the United States. Retrieved November 29, 2019
  8. Green Party 2012 Convention Schedule – Green Party of the United States. Retrieved November 29, 2019
  9. 2016 Annual National Meeting / Presidential Nominating Convention – Green Party of the United States. Retrieved November 29, 2019
  10. https://gpus.org/annual-national-meetings/
  11. https://www.gp.org/greenline_march_2019
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