Green Party of Mississippi
Green Party of Mississippi | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002 |
| Ideology | Green politics |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| National affiliation | Green Party of the United States |
| Colors | Green |
The Green Party of Mississippi is a state political party in Mississippi, United States. It is the Mississippi affiliate of the Green Party of the United States. The Green Party was officially recognized by the state government in April 2002 and granted ballot access.
History
Origins
In the lead-up to the 2000 United States presidential election, numerous groups across the state of Mississippi formed in support of the candidate from the Green Party, Ralph Nader. In December 1999, the first such group appeared in the town of Oxford, with more appearing the following year along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in Cleveland, DeSoto County, Hattiesburg, Jackson, Starkville, and Tupelo. The state office for Nader estimated the total number of volunteers in Mississippi to be 235.[1] Nader received over 8,000 votes from Mississippians.[2]
Volunteers for Nader, particularly from the Gulf Coast's "Gulf Coast for Nader" organization, announced their intention to formally seek the formation of a Mississippi Green Party, recognized by the Secretary of State. In order to run candidates under a state party name, the organization had to form an executive committee with officers and members from each of Mississippi's congressional districts, among other requirements.[1]
Foundation and early history
On April 22, 2002, the Green Party of Mississippi announced that it had registered as an official political party.[2] Upon recognition, the party gained state press attention for its opposition to the state's usage of capital punishment[3] and the Iraq War.[4]
During the 2003 Mississippi elections, the party ran one candidate: Sherman Lee Dillon, a local folk musician, for governor.[5][6] The first Green to hold office in Mississippi was elected on November 8, 2004, when John M. Wages Jr. ran unopposed for election commissioner in the third supervisor district of Lee County.[7]
During the 2007 Mississippi elections, the party faced scrutiny when Governor Haley Barbour, Attorney General Jim Hood, and Secretary of State Eric Clark called for the removal of Melvin Brown, a Green Party candidate for the Mississippi House of Representatives, after the party did not submit Brown's letter of intent.[8] Brown remained on the ballot for the general election, however.[9]
Recent years
In 2011, the party campaigned at the Mississippi State Capitol in support of net metering, a mechanism which gives homeowners who produce renewable energy credit for the electricity they produce. Campaigners said that Mississippi had fallen behind other states on this policy.[10]
In October 2016, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein visited Oxford at an event sponsored by the state chapter.[11]
Presidential election results
| Year | Nominee | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Ralph Nader | Not on ballot | |
| 2000 | Ralph Nader | 8,126 | |
| 2004 | David Cobb | 1,073 | |
| 2008 | Cynthia McKinney | 1,034 | |
| 2012 | Jill Stein | 1,588 | |
| 2016 | Jill Stein | 3,731 | |
| 2020 | Howie Hawkins | 1,498 | |
References
- 1 2 Campi, Esther (October 23, 2000). "Green Party seeking official recognition". Sun Herald. p. 3. Retrieved April 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 "Miss. Greens an official party". Clarion-Ledger. April 24, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved April 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Crager, Lea (December 12, 2002). "Prosecutor happy about execution". Hattiesburg American. p. 4. Retrieved April 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Anti-war protesters rally in Starkville". Enterprise-Journal. January 19, 2003. p. 5. Retrieved April 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Candidates for statewide office". The Greenwood Commonwealth. Associated Press. March 2, 2003. p. 6. Retrieved April 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Lange, Courtney (March 17, 2003). "Ain't Easy Being Green". Mississippi Free Press. Jackson Free Press. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Mississippi Voters Elect First Green". Green Party of Mississippi. November 8, 2004. Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Barbour says parties not following state election law". Picayune Item. September 12, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Mississippi House of Representatives elections, 2007". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ Thompson, Marsha (January 27, 2011). "Green Party pushes for net metering law". MS News Now. Archived from the original on December 16, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Green Party candidate Jill Stein visiting Oxford, Ole Miss Monday". The Oxford Eagle. October 1, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2026.