Presentation to GPUS 2025 Annual National Meeting
By Mike Feinstein, Elections Database Manager, GPUS, August 3, 2025
================================
Green Party electoral strategy
Super majorities of voters (who are polled) consistently say they want more political parties and options.
Green Party electoral practice has been to run on all levels — for a variety of different reasons — while working to reform the electoral and public financing systems, and the ballot access laws.
================================
Do Greens only run for President? Hardly
At least 7112 Greens have run for public office, from 1985 to the present, with at least 1606 elected (21.7% winning percentage)
(This candidate total includes 18 races in November 2025, including at least two uncontested, with additional candidates still expected to be reported.)
Among all Green races:
• At least 2722 State and Federal candidates (38.27% of all candidates), at least 5 elected (0.18% winning percentage)
• At least 4390 County, Municipal, Educational, Special District, Judicial and Tribal candidates (61.73% of all candidates), at least 1601 elected (36.47% winning percentage)
• 201 wins in partisan races (12.55% of all wins): 5 for state legislature, 196 in county/municipal/special district races
• 527 wins in uncontested races (32.81% of all wins), with at least two more uncontested races coming in November 2025 –
================================
Why run for Federal office?
– Communicate with large numbers of voters
– Address Federal policy issues
– Gain/retain Green Party ballot status via the US Senate race
All Federal Races 905 (12.92% of all races)
• Federal – US Senate – 152 (2.14% of all races), 0 elected
• Federal – US House of Representatives – 729 (10.25% of all races), 0 elected
• Federal – Advisory – 24 (0.34% of all races), 0 elected
================================
Why run for State office?
– Communicate with large numbers of voters
– Address State policy issues
– Gain/retain ballot status for the Green Party–
– Laws passed by Dems/Reps make it hard to gain/retain ballot status
All State Races 1817 (25.54% of all races)
• Statewide Constitutional Offices – 413 (5.81% of all races), 0 elected
Top Results
10.4% Roberto Mondragon, New Mexico 1994 vs. Dem, Rep
10.36% Rich Whitney, Illinois 2006 vs. Dem, Rep
First state party to quality for ballot, Alaska 1990:
Jim Sykes for Governor 3.3% vs Dem, Rep, and two minor parties
Green ballot access platform: Establish national readily achievable baseline standards for retaining ballot access by political parties. Include the opportunity to retain ballot status via achievable percentages of the vote in any statewide race, not just for governor or president and only require this at a minimum of every four years.
State Legislature (1288, 18.74% of all races)
• State Legislature – Upper House (State Senate) – 278 (3.90% of all races), 0 elected
• State Legislature – Lower House – 1007 (14.16% of all races), 5 elected (0.5% winning percentage)
Top Results
100%. Fredrick Smith, Arkansas, 2012 – Democratic candidate votes not counted by rule of court, conspiracy to commit election fraud
89.3% Richard Carroll, Arkansas, 2008 – No Democrat or Republican on the ballot
66.8% John Eder, Maine, 2002 vs Dem
50.9% John Eder, Maine, 2004 vs Dem, Rep Redistricted out of his district by Democrats after 2002, moved back to his old district for 2004, and was re-elected while retaining 70% of his voters from 2002
50.6% Audie Bock, California, 1999 vs. Dem, special election
• State Legislature – Advisory – 3 (0.04% of all races)
State Education (84)
• Education – State Superintendent – 6 (0.08% of all races), 0 elected
• Education – State Board of Education – 29 (0.41% of all races), 0 elected
• Education – State University – 49 (0.69% of all races), 0 elected
Michigan Greens primarily use this for ballot status
Other State Offices – 32
• State – State Courts – 32 (0.44% of all races), 0 elected
================================
Running for local office
– Greens run in local communities, based upon record in community activism and leadership; easier to win these races without big money for voters more willing to ‘take a chance’ on minor party candidates in down-ticket offices
– Bottom-up electoral strategy is sustainable, builds base, not dependent upon celebrity candidates (e.g. Ross Perot)
– Green Party exists today, while other left-of-center minor parties never took off (Labor Party, New Party, 21st Century Party, Peoples Party)
– Green incumbents elected by approximately 70-80% – showing voters feel Greens have good ideas and can govern
– Greens elected to local office provides rationale to argue for electoral reform on higher levels
– Significance of Greens elected in non-partisan races, Greens have chosen to be members of independent party, lose institutional support of major parties, even in a non-partisan race
County Races (849, 11.94% of all races)
• County – Legislative, Supervisor – 617 (8.68% of all races), 125 elected (20.26% winning percentage)
Longest serving – 32 years
David Conley, Board of Supervisors, Douglas County, WI (1986-2018)
• County – Administrative, Executive – 197 (2.77% of all races), 36 elected (18.27% winning percentage)
• County – Advisory Bodies – 35 (0.49% of all races), 28 elected (80% winning percentage)
Municipal office (2403, 33.39% of all races)
• Municipal – Mayor – 266 (3.74% of all races), 37 elected (13.91% winning percentage)
First elected
• Kelly Weavering, Cordova, AK, after Exxon-Valdez oil spill November 1991
Longest serving – 16 years
• Bruce Delgado, Mayor, Marina, California (2010-2026)
• Municipal – City Council – 1534 (21.57% of all races), 406 elected (26.47% winning percentage)
Longest serving – 16 years
• Dona Spring, City Council, Berkeley, California (1992-2008)
• Cam Gordon, City Council, Minneapolis, Minnesota (2005-2021)
• Alan Drusys, City Council, Yucaipa, California (1994-2010)
City/Town Council majorities: Arcata (1996-1998, 2004-2006), Fairfax (2009-2014) and Sebastopol (2000-2008), CA and New Paltz, NY (2003-2004)
• Municipal – Rent Regulation – 17 (00.24% of all races), 16 elected (94.12% winning percentage)
• Municipal – Town Meeting – 62 (0.87% of all races), 49 elected (79% winning percentage)
• Municipal – Administrative, Executive – 285 (4.01% of all races), 126 elected (44.21% winning percentage)
• Municipal – Advisory Bodies – 239 (3.36% of all races), 142 elected (59.41% winning percentage) https://www.gpelections.org/offices/municipal-advisory-bodies/
Education (629, 10.08% of all races) – this total of 629 does not include statewide education races, which are included in state races total
• Education – State Superintendent – 6 (0.08% of all races), 0 elected (counted towards state races total, not education, but included here as well)
• Education – State Board of Education – 29 (0.41% of all races), 0 elected (counted towards state races total, not education, but included here as well)
• Education – State University – 49 (0.69% of all races), 0 elected (counted towards state races total, not education, but included here as well)
• Education – Community College – 56 (0.78% of all races), 19 elected (33.93% winning percentage)
• Education – Local School District – 573 (8.10% of all races), 272 elected (47.47% winning percentage)
Longest serving – 16 years
• Carolyn Dixon, Governing Board of Directors, Wright Elementary School District, Santa Rosa, California (2006-2022)
Other offices (509, 6.74% of all races)
• Special Districts – 454 (6.38% of all races), 253 elected (55.73% winning percentage)
Longest serving – 23 years
• Annie Young, Parks and Recreation Commission, Minneapolis, Minnesota (1994-2017)
• Judicial Offices – 38 (0.53% of all races), 5 elected (13.8% winning percentage)
• Tribal Government – 17 (0.24% of all races), 14 elected (82.35% winning percentage)
