Elections Database Presentation to GPUS 2026 Annual National Meeting
By Mike Feinstein, Elections Database Manager, Green Party of the United States
July 26, 2026
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Green Party electoral strategy
Super majorities of voters polled consistently say they want more political options and parties.
The Green Party’s electoral practice has been to run for all levels of public office — for a variety of reasons, depending upon the type of office — all while working to reform the electoral and campaign finance systems, and the ballot access laws.
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Do Greens only run for President? Hardly
At least 7212 Greens have run for public office, from 1985 to the present, with at least 1699 elected (21.7% winning percentage)
Among all Green races:
• At least 2822 State and Federal candidates (39.13% of all candidates), at least 5 elected (0.18% winning percentage)
• At least 4390 County, Municipal, Educational, Special District, Judicial and Tribal candidates (60.87% of all candidates), at least 1694 elected (38.59% winning percentage)
• 216 wins in partisan races (12.75% of all wins): 5 for state legislature, 201 in county/municipal/special district races in CO, CT, HI, MI, NY, PA where some/all local government elections currently and/or previously were/are partisan (most of the rest of the country local government elections are non-partisan)
• 554 wins in uncontested races (32.7% of all wins), with at least one more uncontested race coming in November 2026
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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 940 (13% of all races)
• Federal – US Senate – 155 (2.15% of all races), 0 elected
• Federal – US House of Representatives – 760 (10.54% of all races), 0 elected
• Federal – Advisory – 25 (0.35% of all races), 0 elected
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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 the Dems/Reps make it hard to gain/retain ballot status
All State Races 1888 (26.18% of all races)
• Statewide Constitutional Offices – 451 (6.25% 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, not every two years.
State Legislature (1319, 18.29% of all races)
• State Legislature – Upper House (State Senate) – 284 (3.94% of all races), 0 elected
• State Legislature – Lower House – 1032 (14.3% of all races), 5 elected (0.48% winning percentage)\\
Top Results
100%. Fredrick Smith, Arkansas, 2012 – Democratic candidate’s 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 (87)
• Education – State Superintendent – 6 (0.08% of all races), 0 elected
• Education – State Board of Education – 30 (0.42% of all races), 0 elected
• Education – State University – 51 (0.71% of all races), 0 elected
Michigan Greens primarily use this for ballot status
Other State Offices – (31)
• State – State Courts – 31 (0.43% of all races), 0 elected
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Running for local office
– Greens run in local communities, based upon record in community activism and leadership; it 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 with the short-lived Reform Party)
– The Green Party exists today, while other left-of-center minor parties never took off (Citizens Party, Labor Party Advocates, New Party, 21st Century Party, Peoples Party); while both the Natural Law and Reform Parties disappeared after brief times on the ballot
– Green incumbents have been re-elected by approximately 90% – showing voters feel Greens have good ideas and can govern
– When Greens are elected to local office, it provides a strong rationale for electoral reform on state and federal levels.
If voters are willing to elect Greens to local office where the electoral system doesn’t block them – and Greens serve capably in local office, which the high incumbent re-election rate suggests voters feel they do — then why not reform the electoral system for state and federal office to make it easier for voters to elect Greens there too if they want?
– Significance of Greens elected in non-partisan races.
Greens who run for non-partisan office have chosen to be members of an independent political party — a significant statement in a country dominated by an electoral duopoly. By affiliating with the Green Party, these candidates pay an electoral price, losing both institutional and informal support of the major parties and their supporters, even in non-partisan races. Yet they make that choice to be part of a party that embodies their values — and many of them are elected nonetheless.
County Races (866, 12.01% of all races)
• County – Legislative, Supervisor – 625 (8.67% of all races), 125 elected (20% winning percentage)
Longest serving – 32 years
David Conley, Board of Supervisors, Douglas County, WI (1986-2018)
• County – Administrative, Executive – 205 (2.84% of all races), 36 elected (17.56% winning percentage)
• County – Advisory Bodies – 36 (0.50% of all races), 28 elected (77.78% winning percentage)
Municipal office (2403, 33.32% of all races)
• Municipal – Mayor – 269 (3.73% of all races), 37 elected (13.75% winning percentage)
First elected
• Kelly Weavering, Cordova, AK, after Exxon-Valdez oil spill November 1991
Longest serving – 18 years
• Bruce Delgado, Mayor, Marina, California (2008-2026)
• Municipal – City Council – 1583 (21.94% of all races), 453 elected (28.62% winning percentage), including 55 elected in partisan races
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 (0.86% of all races), 49 elected (79.03% winning percentage)
• Municipal – Administrative, Executive – 305 (4.23% of all races), 126 elected (41.31% winning percentage)
• Municipal – Advisory Bodies – 249 (3.45% of all races), 141 elected (56.62% winning percentage) https://www.gpelections.org/offices/municipal-advisory-bodies/
Education (629, 10.08% of all races) – this total of 629 does not include the 87 statewide education races, which are included in state races total above
• 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 – 30 (0.42% of all races), 0 elected (counted towards state races total, not education, but included here as well)
• Education – State University – 51 (0.71% of all races), 0 elected (counted towards state races total, not education, but included here as well)
• Education – Community College – 58 (0.78% of all races), 19 elected (32.76% winning percentage)
• Education – Local School District – 601 (8.04% of all races), 272 elected (45.26% winning percentage)
Longest serving – 16 years
• Carolyn Dixon, Governing Board of Directors, Wright Elementary School District, Santa Rosa, California (2006-2022)
Other offices (532, 7.38% of all races)
• Special Districts – 478 (6.63% of all races), 254 elected (53.13% winning percentage)
Longest serving – 23 years
• Annie Young, Parks and Recreation Commission, Minneapolis, Minnesota (1994-2017)
• Judicial Offices – 42 (0.58% of all races), 5 elected (11.9% winning percentage)
• Tribal Government – 16 (0.22% of all races), 14 elected (87.5% winning percentage)
