Mountain Party
The Mountain Party is a state-level political party in West Virginia.[2] It is the West Virginia affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.[3]
Mountain Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair | Denise Binion |
| Vice Chair | Frank Young |
| Secretary | Susan Cleaver |
| Treasurer | Chris Wolford |
| Membership (Nov. 2019) | +2,321[1] |
| Ideology | Green politics Progressivism Eco-socialism |
| Political position | Centre-left to Left-wing |
| National affiliation | Green Party of the United States |
| Colors | Green, Brown |
| United States Senate delegation | 0 / 2 |
| United States House of Representatives delegation | 0 / 3 |
| Executive offices | 0 / 6 |
| West Virginia Senate | 0 / 34 |
| West Virginia House of Delegates | 0 / 100 |
| Eastern Panhandle Conservation District | 1 / 7 |
| Southern Conservation District | 1 / 11 |
| Website | |
| www | |
It is a progressive and environmentalist party whose party platform primarily focuses on "Grassroots Democracy", "Social Justice & Equal Opportunity", "Ecological Wisdom" and "Non-Violence".[4]
History
The Mountain Party was created largely in response to the conservative tilt of the West Virginia Democratic Party, and was thus born out of Denise Giardina's gubernatorial campaign in 2000.[5]
Prominent campaigns
In 2016, the party ran former state senator Charlotte Pritt for Governor of West Virginia.[6] This led to growth for the party.[7] She received nearly 6% of the vote, the highest ever for a Mountain Party gubernatorial candidate.
Michael Sharley ran for West Virginia Attorney General in 2016, the first Mountain Party candidate for Attorney General.
In 2018, House of Delegates candidate Elliot Pritt was endorsed by the Charleston Gazette. [8]
Currently elected officials
Conservation District Supervisors[9]
- John W. Farrell, Southern Conservation District, (Summers County) term through June 2024
- Daniel P. "Danny" Lutz, Eastern Panhandle Conservation District, (Jefferson County) term through June 2024
Election results
State executive elections
Governor
| Year | Nominee | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Denise Giardina | 10,416 | 1.61% |
| 2004 | Jesse Johnson | 18,430 | 2.48% |
| 2008 | Jesse Johnson | 31,486 | 4.46% |
| 2011 | Bob Henry Baber | 6,083 | 2.02% |
| 2012 | Jesse Johnson | 16,787 | 2.53% |
| 2016 | Charlotte Pritt | 42,068 | 5.89% |
| 2020 | Daniel Lutz | TBA | |
Federal elections
President
| Year | Nominee | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Ralph Nader | 10,680 | 1.65% |
| 2004 | David Cobb (write-in) | 5 | <0.01% |
| 2008 | Cynthia McKinney | 2,355 | 0.33% |
| 2012 | Jill Stein | 4,406 | 0.66% |
| 2016 | Jill Stein | 8,075 | 1.13% |
| 2020 | Howie Hawkins | TBA | |
US Senate
| Year | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 8,565 | 1.9% |
| 2008 | n/a | n/a |
| 2010 | 10,355 | 1.92% |
| 2012 | 19,517 | 2.96% |
| 2014 | 5,504 | 1.21% |
| 2018 | n/a | n/a |
| 2020 | n/a | n/a |
References
- https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Documents/VoterRegistrationTotals/2019/Nov2019.pdf
- "Recognized Political Parties in WV". West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- Winger, Richard (July 10, 2007). "Mountain Party to Affiliate with Green Party". Ballot Access News. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- "The MOUNTAIN PARTY PLATFORM - Mountain Party WV". Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- Case, David (September 13, 2000). "West Virginia's Mountain (Party) Mama". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- BOARD, GLYNIS (November 2, 2016). "Charlotte Pritt: The Mountain Party's Maverick". WV Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- Wiederspiel, Alex (July 17, 2016). "Following Charlotte Pritt nomination for Governor, Mountain Party leaders see huge growth potential". Metro News. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- "Gazette endorsement: For WV Legislature, these candidates offer promising future". Charleston Gazette-Mail.
- "Officeholders". mountainpartywv.net. Retrieved June 12, 2020.